IngredientsSpices
Lebkuchengewürzgingerbread spice
The smell everyone knows from German Christmas baking. It sits in Lebkuchen, in Printen, in Spekulatius and in honey cake.
It is not a spice but seven or eight of them together. No shelf in Mexico carries it, so you build it.
Die Mischungwhat goes in
Cinnamon, clove, allspice, cardamom, nutmeg, coriander seed and a little anise and ginger.
Cinnamon is the base and the largest share. Clove and allspice are loud, so very little of those. Cardamom, nutmeg, coriander, anise and ginger fill the middle, a knife tip each.
Selbst mischenmixing it
Buy whole spices, warm them briefly in a dry pan and grind them fresh. Everything into one screw top jar, kept dark.
For the cinnamon take cassia, not the mild Ceylon canela, or the blend will not carry through the dough.
Vorsichtwatch out
Mix small amounts, enough for a weekend of baking, not for the year. Once ground the blend loses its tip within weeks.
Ready made blends from the import shelf are often old and flat. Mixing your own really does pay here.