Fragrant, tasty and soft gingerbread has for some time become one of the symbols of Christmas, which is celebrated almost everywhere in our country. But you can pamper yourself and your family with such pastries at any time of the year, and gingerbread with icing can be an excellent gift or treat. Ginger is one of the most famous spices and today it is widely used in various recipes, to which its aroma adds a special flavor. This is where the name of this product came from - “gingerbread” from the word “spicy”, since initially a large number of different herbs and spices were added to it. In Europe, baking with ginger has long become as much an obligatory attribute of the New Year holidays as Santa Claus with a Christmas tree, which is why such cookies are in special demand there.
Benefits and calories
100 grams of delicacy made according to the classic recipe contains approximately 350 calories. The main ingredient in gingerbread, ginger, prevents the formation of blood clots. The medicinal plant has a beneficial effect on the nervous system.
Honey is often added to original gingerbread cookies. The beekeeping product contains a large amount of vitamins. Honey has a pronounced antibacterial effect. The beekeeping product helps accelerate metabolic processes in the body. It is used as part of the complex therapy of colds. Honey helps strengthen the immune system and improves well-being in the presence of diseases of the digestive tract.
Secrets of working with ginger dough
When working with the test, you must follow the recommendations listed below:
- The gingerbread dough is kept for 1-2 hours before shaping. In this case, its consistency will become more uniform;
- you need to form dough figures on a baking sheet;
- Leave gaps between the figures on the baking sheet. During baking, the sweets increase in size;
- some experts recommend starting to decorate products intended for further painting approximately 30 hours after preparing the delicacy;
- if the delicacy contains a lot of spices, the spices are thoroughly crushed and sifted before adding to the dough;
- sweets made from ginger are soft. After cooking, the figurines need to be laid out on a dish with a hard surface.
In sweet glaze step by step
There is a classic recipe for making this delicacy. The delicious dessert contains the following ingredients:
- 0.9 kg flour;
- 8 tablespoons chopped ginger;
- a little salt;
- 0.45 kg butter;
- 350 grams of sweet powder;
- chopped cinnamon (three teaspoons);
- 9 tablespoons of molasses;
- 20 grams of baking powder;
- 4 eggs;
- a small amount of hot pepper.
A simple recipe for making a delicious delicacy that can decorate a holiday table looks like this:
- Sift cinnamon, chopped ginger root, baking powder, salt and flour.
- Sweet powder is combined with butter. The resulting mixture is combined with other ingredients.
- After this, you need to add a small amount of molasses and pre-beaten eggs.
- The resulting dough has a dense consistency. It must be wrapped in film and placed in a room with low air temperature for 90 minutes.
- The hardened dough must be rolled out.
- After this, small stars are cut out using a variety of molds.
- The aromatic dessert should be baked on a baking sheet pre-soaked in oil for 25 minutes.
- After the delicious sweets for children have cooled, they are decorated with multi-colored glaze.
Gingerbread traditions
From time immemorial, fragrant gingerbreads have been present in the national cuisine of not only Russians, but also Germans, Scots, French, Estonians and Lithuanians. Initially, such delicacies consisted of honey and flour, but gradually the recipes were improved and over time, this baking became almost a culinary art. In the culture of different countries, tea drinking has occupied and occupies a special place, and attention is paid not only to the correct preparation of this drink, but also to the treats that are served along with it on the table.
A special flavor of Russian tea drinking is given by samovars, dishes, as well as decorated gingerbread cookies, which, due to their attractive appearance, seem even more delicious. Gingerbread cookies are so original that they will always find a place not only in everyday life, but also on the holiday table. In Rus', gingerbread was considered a full-fledged gift, and to this day at all kinds of fairs you can buy a beautiful gingerbread as a souvenir. Also, it was customary to exchange gingerbread cookies on various Orthodox holidays; the names of angels were inscribed on them, and thus the baked goods became a kind of amulet for the recipient of such a gift.
Modern housewives have an excellent opportunity to bake such products themselves, without having to use any rare or expensive products. As a rule, everything you need is always available in any refrigerator. You may not be able to paint a gingerbread beautifully the first time, but you can always use special stencils and other things to apply the design. Be sure to involve children in this activity so that they can show their imagination and decorate the baked goods to their taste.
Gingerbread “Roe”: step-by-step recipe
A tasty treat should be prepared from the following ingredients:
- 850 grams of flour;
- 0.25 kg butter;
- 0.2 kg sugar;
- 2 yolks;
- spices;
- 1 protein;
- 5 grams of soda;
- 80 ml water;
- 0.15 kg powdered sugar
- salt (about 1⁄2 teaspoon).
The sequence of actions is as follows:
- Pour 0.1 kg of sugar into a separate pan and cook until it turns brownish.
- At the same time, heat the electric kettle.
- When the caramel acquires a brownish tint, pour in a little boiling water. In this case, the sweet mixture must be constantly stirred.
- After the caramel is completely dissolved, add the remaining sugar. The mixture is cooked over low heat (until the sugar dissolves).
- After this, the caramel is removed from the stove, spices and butter are added.
- In a separate bowl, beat 2 yolks.
- Add yolks, salt, and soda to the cooled caramel mixture.
- The resulting mass must be mixed carefully.
- You need to add carefully sifted flour.
- Form a dough, wrap it into a sausage and place it in a cold place for 10 hours.
- Small figures are cut out of the dough and baked in the oven at low temperature (180 degrees).
Option on the water
Worried about raw eggs? Then use glaze on water! It may not be as boiling white as on an egg, but it is 100% safe and no less tasty!
What will you need?
- 150 g powdered sugar.
- 2 tsp lemon juice for white paste or any other juice to add a light tint.
- A little cold water.
- Food coloring optional.
What to do?
The basic principle here is: a lot of powder - little liquid. Just carefully add the juice and water in small portions until the powder forms a sticky mass. Kneading can take a lot of effort and time, because soaking a glass of powder with a few drops of water is not so easy. You can breathe a sigh of relief when a drop of glaze holds its shape without spreading.
Honey gingerbread with cocoa
To make gingerbread cookies, you will need the following ingredients:
- 0.1 kg flour;
- 1⁄2 part of a stick of butter;
- 1 egg;
- 1 pack of baking powder;
- ginger, crushed to a powder consistency;
- 5 grams of cocoa;
- 1 teaspoon honey;
- 1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon, ground to a powder;
- salt.
The glaze contains:
- 1 protein;
- 0.1 kg of sweet powder;
- lemon juice in the amount of one tablespoon.
It is necessary to sift the following components through a sieve:
- flour;
- cocoa;
- baking powder;
- cinnamon;
- ginger.
Add crushed butter to the resulting mixture. After this, add the required amount of sugar. Add honey and egg. After this, you need to knead the dough, form it into a ball, which is then wrapped in cling film. The dough is placed in a cool place for two hours. After the specified period, it is rolled out into a layer whose thickness does not exceed 7 mm.
Gingerbread cookies are formed using paper stencils.
Sweets should be placed on a baking sheet sprinkled with flour. The delicacy is baked in the oven at low temperature for 15 minutes.
The glaze preparation process looks like this:
- The protein is pre-cooled and whipped with a mixer.
- After this, sweet powder and citrus fruit juice are added.
- Beat the resulting mixture for 20 seconds.
- You can add a little bright coloring to the glaze.
Protein option
The glaze on the whites turns out snow-white, but it will require a little more effort from you. But if you are not too lazy to carry out this experiment, the cookies will turn out simply fascinating, like from the pages of culinary magazines!
What will you need?
- 150 g powdered sugar.
- 1 egg.
- Food coloring optional.
What to do?
Separate the white from the yolk using any method known to you. The main thing is that the yolk does not get into our mixture. Now gradually pour the powder into the egg whites, beating with a mixer at high speed. When a drop of glaze holds its shape, you can begin painting.
Tip: If you want to fill rather than outline, just make the glaze thinner. Just keep in mind that the filling takes longer to dry than the outline, and it is better to leave such cookies to dry overnight, especially if you plan to transport them.
Well, all that remains is to put the icing in a special confectionery bag or a regular plastic bag, cut off the spout and give free rein to your imagination. Good luck with your experiments and delicious gingerbread!
Cinnamon
To make cinnamon gingerbread, you need to stock up on the following ingredients in advance:
- 350 grams of flour;
- 0.3 kg of honey;
- 200 grams of honey;
- 100 grams of butter;
- 4 eggs;
- 50 grams of peanuts;
- 100 grams of dried fruits;
- a pinch of soda;
- 1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon;
- 10 ml rum.
The step-by-step scheme for preparing gingerbread is as follows:
- Dried fruits need to be finely chopped. Sugar and honey are added to them.
- The butter is pre-melted in a water bath.
- Eggs need to be beaten and combined with butter and honey-sugar mixture.
- After this, add cinnamon.
- The flour is sifted and slowly poured into the honey-egg mixture.
- Sweets are baked in the oven, preheated to a temperature of 170 degrees. The cooking time is 10 minutes.
Required Ingredients
The recipe for gingerbread with icing is not as complicated as many people think, and even a beginner can prepare such treats for their loved ones. The main thing is to choose the right ingredients and knead a good dough. So, for gingerbread we will need:
- Margarine or butter – 200g.
- Sugar – 150-200g.
- Honey – 150g.
- Ground ginger – 2 tsp.
- The clove is on the tip of the knife.
- Cinnamon and cardamom – ½ tsp.
- Salt and nutmeg - a pinch.
- Yolks – 4 pcs.
- Rye flour – 200 gr.
- Wheat flour – 300 gr.
All the ingredients in this recipe are very affordable, so you won’t have any problems purchasing them.
How to beautifully package gingerbread cookies as a gift?
Handmade sweets are a great gift made with soul.
Sweets can be placed in a cardboard box, which is tied with braid and decorated with bright inscriptions. The packaging, shaped like a pyramid, looks interesting. Gingerbread is also placed in boxes made in “retro” style. Such unusual packaging looks like old mailboxes. Thick paper, newspapers, and cardboard are used as materials for making boxes.
Inventory
Molds for gingerbread
The most important, perhaps, when baking gingerbread with ginger are a variety of molds: Christmas trees, people, balls, houses and much more. Such products can be bought today in baking departments without any problems. You will also need a large bowl for kneading the dough, a whisk, a baking mat, cling film, etc.
