Instructions: *A small food processor is the tool we prefer for this task.

In a medium saucepan, bring the honey and brown sugar to a boil while stirring occasionally. Remove the mixture from the heat and cool it until its just warm.

In a large bowl, beat together the cooled honey mixture, the egg, and the lemon and orange peel or oil. Add the flour, baking soda, almonds, spices and ground crystallized ginger and beat until very well-combined. The dough will be on the stiff side, but also very sticky. Cover the bowl and refrigerate it overnight.

The next day, preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch pan.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 9 x 13-inch rectangle. Carefully transfer the dough rectangle to the prepared pan, either by wrapping it around the rolling pin and then unfolding it into the pan, or using a giant spatula. Try to fit the dough into the pan without pressing down too hard around its edges; otherwise these areas will be dense and tough.

Bake the bars for 20 to 22 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Prepare the glaze while the bars are baking by stirring the brandy or apple juice into the confectioners sugar and mixing until smooth. Transfer the baked bars to a cooling rack and immediately brush on the glaze with a pastry brush; let the glaze soak into the bars somewhat before applying another layer.

Let cool completely before cutting into 1 x 2-inch bars. Store the bars in an airtight container with a slice of apple (for its softening powers). If you make the lebkuchen 2 to 3 days ahead of time, theyll taste even better.

Yield: 54 bars

NOTES : These spicy gingerbread-like bars, which are traditional holiday fare in Germany, contain no fat save that in the egg. Still theyre almost as addictive, with their hard sugar glaze and their nippy bite of crystallized ginger (substituted for the more typical citron, unless you really happen to like that particular ingredient). They keep very well too, especially when a piece of apple is tucked into their airtight container to soften them. Theyre a perfect accompaniment to hot tea after a blustery afternoon of scouring the shops for just-right presents.

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.