Gingerbread
Today, we're introducing you not to a traditional regional dish, but to a dessert loved everywhere. We'll be baking gingerbread cookies. They're easy to make, and the aroma will be absolutely festive. So if you're not in the holiday spirit yet, get baking!
1. Ingredients:
- 100 g butter
- 100 g sugar
- 350-400 g flour
- 2 eggs
- 3 teaspoons of honey
- 1 teaspoon each of ginger, cinnamon, cocoa, and nutmeg
- 0,5 tsp soda or 1 tsp. baking powder
- 150-200 g powdered sugar (for glaze)
- 0,5 tsp lemon juice (for glaze)
- decorative ornaments - optional
2. Melt the butter over medium heat and add the sugar. Once it's dissolved, stir in the honey and seasonings. In addition to the spices we've used, you can also add ground cloves or orange zest—it's a matter of taste, as they say.
3. Add baking soda to the warm mixture. The mixture will foam slightly, so it's best to use a larger saucepan. Remove from heat and let cool.
4. Then add 1 egg and 1 yolk to the mixture (save the white for the icing for decoration). If you don't plan to decorate the gingerbread, 1 egg will be enough. Add flour to the mixture and knead the dough: first with a spoon, then with your hands.
5. The dough will be soft, like play dough, and very fragrant. It shouldn't stick to your hands. Wrap it in a plastic bag and let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature, then refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.
6. Knead the refrigerated dough slightly in your hands to make it easier to work with. Roll it out directly onto parchment paper or a non-stick mat to a thickness of 0,5-0,7 cm.
7. Form the gingerbread: you can do this using molds or simply cut the dough into small pieces with a knife.
8. Place the gingerbread cookies on a baking sheet, spacing them about 1-2 cm apart. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius in the top-bottom mode for 5-7 minutes.
9. Don't leave the gingerbread in the oven for too long to avoid overcooking the dough, which will make it crispy. Once they're slightly browned, they're ready.
10. In principle, you can start drinking tea right now. But if you want to make a dessert that's not only delicious but also beautiful, we suggest a classic egg white icing recipe: gradually whisk sifted powdered sugar into the remaining egg whites with a mixer. After 2-4 minutes, you can add 0,5 tablespoons of lemon juice to the icing to give it a glossy finish, and whisk for a few more minutes.
11. The consistency should be stable enough to paint with. Use a pastry bag or a simple plastic bag with a corner snipped off.
12. You can sprinkle the gingerbread cookies with decorative elements and crushed nuts, color them with food markers, or use icing and food coloring—whatever you prefer. Serve with hot tea and warm milk. Enjoy!
13. Gingerbread cookies can retain their flavor, aroma, and softness for a long time if stored in a bag or box and sealed tightly. But more often than not, there's nothing to store, and the dessert disappears within hours.
