Rice paper is traditionally used in this recipe, but is not essential. You can bake these cookies on buttered baking sheets instead.
Active time: Start to finish: 2 3/4 hr. Makes about 32 cookies.

Ingredients:
For nut flour

¾ C. hazelnuts (3 ¾ oz)	¾ C. sliced almonds (2 ¾ oz)
2 ¾ C. all-purpose flour	1 TBS. ground cinnamon
¾ tsp. salt	½ tsp. ground cloves
½ tsp. baking powder	¼ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground ginger	3 TBS. unsweetened cocoa powder

For cookies
4 (11 ½" by 8 ¼") sheets edible rice paper, cut with scissors into 32 (2 ½") rounds

¾ C. mild honey	1 C. packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs	½ stick (¼ C.) unsalted butter, softened

½ C. finely chopped, fine-quality, mixed, candied fruit such as citron, orange, and lemon*

4 (11 ½ - by 8 ¼ -inch) sheets edible rice paper, cut with scissors into 32 (2 ½ -inch) rounds

For icing

3 TBS. water

2 C. confectioners sugar

Preparation

Make nut flour:
Finely grind nuts with remaining nut flour ingredients in a food processor.

Make dough:
Beat together brown sugar, honey, and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until creamy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in nut flour at low speed until just blended, then stir in candied fruit.

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Arrange rice-paper rounds, shiny sides down, on 2 large baking sheets. Roll level 2-tablespoon amounts of dough into balls with dampened hands, then put 1 on each paper round and flatten slightly (dough will spread to cover paper during baking).
Bake cookies in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until surface no longer appears wet, about 15 minutes total. Transfer to racks to cool.

Ice cookies:
Sift confectioners sugar into a bowl, then stir in water until smooth. Evenly brush tops of cooled cookies with icing. Let icing set, about 1 hour.

Cooks' note:
These cookies improve with age but icing will darken. If making ahead, do not ice until day of serving. Cookies keep, layered between sheets of wax paper, in an airtight container 1 month.