Gingerbread

The first time I tried this gingerbread at home, I just wanted to see if the recipe was worth keeping for winter. I was drawn to the caramelized sugar part because it gives a different flavor compared to classic gingerbread. However, I noticed right away that the dough is quite easy to work with after kneading, even though I initially read that it should sit in the fridge overnight. That wasn't the case for me, and I started cutting out shapes immediately. The whole process isn't complicated, but you need to get organized a bit at the beginning.

Quick Info

Total time: 2 hours (including cooling and decorating)
Servings: 40 medium pieces
Difficulty: medium

Ingredients

For the dough:

- 3 egg yolks
- 200 g sugar
- 200 ml milk
- 200 g sugar (for caramelizing)
- 100 ml water
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon baking ammonia
- 50 g lard or butter (at room temperature)
- 900 g – 1 kg flour type 000 (the amount varies depending on how dry the flour is)

For the glaze:

- 3 egg whites
- 250 g powdered sugar
- 1 packet vanilla sugar

Optional for decoration: sprinkles, coconut flakes, chopped nuts

Preparation Method

1. Caramelize 200 g of sugar in a small heavy-bottomed pot over low heat until it turns a golden brown color. Do not let it burn. When it's ready, remove the pot from the heat and add 100 ml of warm water all at once. Be careful of the steam and splashes.

2. Allow the caramel syrup to cool until it reaches room temperature.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with 200 g of sugar until creamy, just enough to incorporate the sugar. There's no need to overdo it.

4. Add the lard or softened butter and continue mixing. Dissolve the baking ammonia in the milk and pour it into the yolk mixture.

5. Add the cinnamon, then gradually pour in the cooled caramel syrup.

6. Start adding the flour little by little. At first, you can use a wooden spoon or a mixer, but as the dough thickens, switch to kneading by hand. Add flour until you get a firm but elastic dough that doesn't stick too much to your hands. I used almost 900 g, but it depends a lot on the type of flour and humidity.

7. If you feel that the dough is hard to roll out or sticky, chill it for 2-3 hours or overnight. If it's easy to work with, continue directly.

8. Divide the dough into manageable pieces. Sprinkle a little flour on the countertop and roll out each piece to a thickness of 5-7 mm. Cut out your favorite shapes.

9. Place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving a little space between them. Bake at 180°C (moderate heat) for 10-12 minutes, until they start to turn slightly golden around the edges. They should still be soft to the touch in the center when you take them out.

10. Allow them to cool completely on a wire rack.

11. For the glaze, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gradually add the powdered sugar and vanilla sugar, mixing until you get a thick, glossy cream, like meringue.

12. Place the glaze in a small bag, cut a thin corner, and decorate as desired. If you want to completely cover the cookies, dip them directly into the glaze and shake gently to coat all sides.

13. Immediately sprinkle decorations if using. Leave them on the tray until the glaze hardens.

Why I make this recipe often

The dough keeps well, and the gingerbread stays fresh for several days without changing texture. It's easy to work with, even for those with little experience in cutting and baking. You can adapt the size or shape based on what you want to make: figures, rounds, stars. They remain soft even after 3-4 days, especially if completely covered with glaze.

Tips and Variations

Tips

- If the baking ammonia doesn't smell strong, it's probably old and won't rise as well.
- Don't leave the caramel unattended – it burns quickly.
- If the dough is too hard after being in the fridge, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Don't overbake the cookies, or they'll become hard.

Substitutions

- You can use only butter instead of lard for a milder flavor.
- Cinnamon can be partially replaced with a gingerbread spice mix.
- Milk can be plant-based if you want a dairy-free version.

Variations

- You can add grated orange or lemon zest for flavor.
- You can also add some ground cloves or ginger powder.
- If you don't want glaze, sprinkle a little sugar before baking.

Serving Ideas

- They can be packaged as gifts.
- They pair well with coffee or tea, either plain or with milk.
- They can be hung on a Christmas tree if you make a small hole before baking.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Does the ammonia taste or smell come through after baking?
No. During baking, the ammonia smell is strong, but it completely disappears once the gingerbread cools.

2. Can I make the recipe without glaze?
Yes, the cookies remain soft even without glaze. If you want, you can dust them with sugar or leave them plain.

3. How do I know if the dough has enough flour?
When it easily comes off your hands and doesn't flow but remains elastic. If you add too much flour, the gingerbread will be dry.

4. Can the cookies be frozen?
Yes, you can freeze them baked, without glaze. They keep well for up to 2 months, and after thawing, they don't change texture.

5. Can I make the dough a day in advance?
Yes, you can prepare the dough ahead of time. It should be left to come close to room temperature before rolling it out.

Nutritional Values (estimated per piece, without glaze)

Energy: approx. 90 kcal
Protein: 2 g
Fat: 1.5 g
Carbohydrates: 17 g

With glaze, each piece can reach 110-120 kcal. Depending on how much glaze you use, the values may vary slightly.

Storage and Reheating

The gingerbread cookies are best stored in airtight containers or paper bags at room temperature for up to 7-10 days. If they become harder, they can soften again after two or three days or can be left overnight in a container with an apple slice. There's no need to reheat them; they can be enjoyed at room temperature. If you've added glaze, wait for it to dry completely before storing them to prevent them from sticking together.

Now I will slightly contradict what Mr. Maniac Chef said, but it's not a rule. He says that the dough should be prepared the night before because it is quite difficult to work with, being a bit sticky, and needs to be refrigerated for a good few hours. I did exactly as he said, but the dough didn't seem very sticky to me, just right for rolling when I finished kneading it! Here, I say, it depends on the flour, how dry it is. However, when I took it out of the fridge, it seemed very hard and difficult to work with when cold, and I would have preferred to work with it right after kneading. But let's move past that; if you think it is firm enough to roll out and doesn't stick excessively to your hands, then you can make the cookies at this point; if not, refrigerate it for a few hours. We proceed like this: We put 200g of sugar in a thick-bottomed saucepan and caramelize it until it turns a rusty golden color. Be careful not to burn it too much! We remove the saucepan from the heat and pour warm water over the burnt sugar all at once, keeping your face away and standing as far back from the pot as possible, as it will splatter! We set it aside to cool. Separately, we beat the 3 egg yolks with 200g of sugar until they become creamy (not too much, just enough to incorporate the sugar). We add lard or butter (at room temperature), then we put the milk in a cup and dissolve the ammonia in the milk. We add the milk, cinnamon, and flour gradually, mixing at first with a wooden spoon (or even with a mixer), then we will knead with our hands until we get a firmer dough that can be easily handled. I used about 900g of flour, but if you think more is needed, add the rest up to 1kg! As I mentioned above, if it doesn't stick terribly to your hands, we can work with it at this point (if not, we put it in the fridge), meaning we dust the surface of the table with flour (not too much), cut pieces from the dough, and roll it out with a rolling pin to about 0.5mm thick. We cut out different shapes and bake them at a moderate heat for about 10 minutes or until they are slightly golden. They should be soft in the middle when done! After baking all the cookies, we can beautifully glaze them with the egg white glaze made as follows: We beat the egg whites until they stiffen and become foamy. We gradually add the powdered sugar and vanilla sugar and mix until we get a very shiny cream, like meringue. We put this glaze in a plastic bag (not all of it) and cut a small tip off (just enough to take the corner). We start decorating the cookies as we like, then sprinkle them with decorative sprinkles or coconut flakes. We place them on a tray to let the glaze dry, then we can put them in paper bags or airtight boxes. When you get tired of decorating, you can put the remaining cookies in the bowl with the glaze, cover them with a lid, and shake well. They will be nicely coated with glaze, then take them out on a platter and leave them at room temperature to dry well. I found that these cookies, which were completely covered with glaze, kept wonderfully and remained soft inside. The others hardened here and there but softened over the next few days when kept in boxes. That said, I hope you dare to make gingerbread, if only for the sake of the little ones, who will love being involved in the decorating! Happy holidays! Ammonium should be active (meaning fresh) for the cookies to be tender and rise; it should smell very pungent! At the time of baking, the cookies will smell of ammonia, but after baking, the smell and taste will disappear!

 Ingredients: for approx. 40 pieces Dough: 3 egg yolks 200 g sugar 200 ml milk 200 g sugar (to be caramelized and extinguished with 100 ml water) 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1 tablespoon baking ammonia 50 g lard/fat butter 1 kg flour (or less, depending on how dry it is) For decoration: 3 egg whites 250 g powdered sugar 1 packet vanilla sugar

 Tags:  gingerbread christmas recipes