Basler Leckerli

I discovered this little delight while travelling to the Alps this summer. Tiny little rectangles with light snowy glaze on top, perfumed with warm spices, distinctively Christmassey. The only "official" version I tasted seems to have some hazelnut undertone. I will substitute ground hazelnut for 1/2 cup of flour next time. Nevertheless, the recipe below produces something overall fairly close to what my first taste is like and is a great start-point to play with.

Basler Leckerli (adapted from Luisa Weiss's recipe)

3/4 cup honey
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup rye flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2/3 cup almond flakes
200 g finely chopped candied citrus peel (or 1/2 cup finely chopped candied orange peel + 1/4 cup finely chopped candied citron peel)
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
A generous splash of rum (or kirsch)
1 teaspoon mixed-spice
1/2 teaspoon quartre-epice
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons water

In a small saucepan, combine the honey with the granulated sugar and salt. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the honey and sugar are melted and beginning to simmer, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large heatproof bowl and let cool slightly, about 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 175C and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, sift the flour with the baking powder. Using a sturdy spatula or wooden spoon, stir the egg into the honey mixture. Stir in the almonds, candied citrus peels, orange and lemon zests, all spice powders, then stir in the sifted flour.
Scrape the dough onto the prepared baking sheet and, with floured hands (or with an off-set spatula), press into a 13-by-9-inch rectangle, about ¼ inch thick. Bake for about 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until golden and puffy.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the confectioners’ sugar with 2 tablespoons of water and bring to a boil over moderately high heat. Boil the syrup until it begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Keep warm.
As soon as the leckerli is done, brush the surface with the hot glaze. While it’s still hot, carefully slide the parchment onto a work surface. Using a sharp knife, trim the edges of the rectangle and cut the leckerli into 2-by-1-inch bars. Let cool before serving.

Note 1: Cutting the glazed leckerli after 10 minutes out of the oven is recommended to avoid cracked top.
Note 2: The baked product has a thickness of 1/2 inch when using 13-by-9-inch baking tin. While the result is still delicious, using a larger baking sheet if you want the authentic 1/4-inch thickness.