Gingerbread - Seasonal Recipe

Gingerbread

🌍 Seasonal, Winter Difficulty: ●●●○○

Gingerbread has been spiced with ginger since ancient Greece and medieval Europe; the tradition of baking shaped gingerbread became associated with Christmas markets in Germany by the 16th century, spreading across Northern Europe and eventually the world.

Ingredients

• 400g (3¼ cups) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground cloves
• ½ tsp ground allspice
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 115g (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 170g (¾ cup) packed dark brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 160ml (⅔ cup) molasses (or dark treacle)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 200g (1¾ cups) powdered sugar
• 2–3 tbsp milk or lemon juice

Method

1. Whisking — Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and spices in a bowl.
2. Beating — Beat butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add egg, molasses, and vanilla; beat until combined.
3. Stirring — Stir in flour mixture until a stiff dough forms. Divide in half; flatten into disks. Wrap and refrigerate 2 hours (or overnight).
4. Preheating — Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Roll dough on a lightly floured surface to 4mm/⅛ in. Cut with festive cutters. Bake on lined baking sheets 8–10 minutes until edges are just set (don't overbake — cookies firm as they cool).
5. Cooling — Cool completely. Decorate with royal icing if desired.

Tags: all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground cloves · Source: Brittani's Almanac