Pain depice

Captivating recipe for gingerbread cookies (Pain d'épices) with Royal Icing

If you are looking for a quick and flavorful dessert, gingerbread cookies are the perfect choice! This simple and delicious dessert, with a mix of spices, is ideal for holidays or to add a touch of magic to ordinary days. Here’s how you can make these gingerbread cookies step by step, ensuring you get a perfect result!

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Baking time: 20-25 minutes
Total time: 1 hour
Number of servings: 20-25 cookies

Ingredients for the dough:
- 250 g honey
- 400 g sugar
- 100 ml water
- 125 g margarine
- 6 eggs (3 yolks for glazing)
- 1 kg flour (depending on humidity, you may need less or more)
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 100 g ground walnuts

Ingredients for Royal Icing:
- 3 egg whites
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Step 1: Preparing the dough
In a saucepan, add honey, sugar, and water and put them over medium heat. Stir constantly until the sugar completely dissolves. Once the sugar is dissolved, add the margarine and continue stirring until it melts. Once the mixture is homogeneous, remove the pot from heat and let it cool slightly.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix the flour (start with 700 g), baking soda, spices (cinnamon, cloves), and salt. In another bowl, beat the egg whites and yolks together. Add the cooled honey mixture to the bowl with the eggs and mix well.

Step by step, incorporate the flour mixture into the liquid composition. Knead the dough, gradually adding the remaining flour, until you get a non-sticky dough that is not too hard. You may use the entire kilogram of flour, depending on the humidity of the ingredients.

Step 2: Shaping the cookies
On a floured surface, roll out the dough to about 0.5 cm thick. Use cookie cutters to create cookies in various shapes. Place the shapes on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake the cookies in a preheated oven at 180°C for 20-25 minutes, or until they are slightly browned. After removing them from the oven, let them cool on the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a rack to cool completely.

Step 3: Preparing the Royal Icing
While the cookies are cooling, you can prepare the icing. In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until foamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar and lemon juice, continuing to mix until you achieve a firm but fluid consistency. You can divide the icing into small bowls and color it to your liking, using food coloring.

Step 4: Decorating the cookies
To apply the Royal Icing, first outline the edges of the cookies. Then, fill the interior with icing to prevent leaks. Let the decorated cookies dry for 2-3 hours, until the icing becomes firm.

Serving suggestions and variations
These gingerbread cookies can be decorated with various festive motifs, making them perfect for gifting. You can also add ground nuts or candied fruits to the dough for extra flavor and texture. Additionally, you can experiment with various spices, such as ginger or anise, to customize the flavor of your cookies.

Enjoy these gingerbread cookies with a cup of tea or coffee, or use them to create a sweet decoration for holiday tables! Surely, these cookies will bring a smile to the faces of your loved ones.

 Ingredients: For the dough: 250g honey, 400g sugar, 100ml water, 125g margarine, 6 eggs (3 yolks for the glaze), 1kg flour, 2 tsp baking soda, 2 tsp cinnamon, 2 tsp ground cloves, 1/2 tsp salt, 100g ground walnuts. For Royal Icing: 3 egg whites, 3 cups powdered sugar, 1 tbsp lemon juice.

 Tags:  gingerbread