Welcoming Holiday Season – Gingerbread

Staropolsky Gingerbread

Dough, full and (half) portion:

• 340 gr  (170 gr) white flour
• 80 gr (40 gr) sugar
• 85 gr (42.5 gr) butter
• 165 gr (80 gr) honey
• 1 (1/2) egg
• 1 teaspoon (½ teaspoon) soda
• 40 ml (20 ml) milk
• 1/4 teaspoon (1/8 teaspoon) salt
• 1/2 tablespoon (1/4 tablespoon) seasoning for gingerbread

Seasoning for gingerbread

• 10 gr cinnamon (approximately 4 tsp),
• 4 gr ginger (2 tsp)
• 3 gr cardamom (1 tsp)
• 1 gr nutmeg (1/2 tsp)
• black pepper to taste, about 1/2 teaspoon in my case
• 1 gr allspice
• 1 gr clove (optional)
• anise (optional)

Place butter in a pan, let it heat to melt the butter. Once melted, add sugar and mix while continuing to heat till sugar dissolves. Then add honey and mix. Allow cooling to room temperature. While it is cooling, you may prepare the spice mix.

Mix milk and baking soda, add to the honey- butter-sugar mix. Add egg and salt. Mix thoroughly. Add spices. Gradually add flour and mix very well. The dough will be like very thick sour cream. At this point, the dough has to be placed in a container with the lid and refrigerated for a minimum of a week and up to 1 month.

Once the waiting period ended, take the dough out and allow it to warm up to room temperature. Once playable, you would need to roll it out to about ¼ inch thickness. You can make cookies or, like me, make a pie out of it. I have used Tiptree Damson Preserve by Wilkin & Sons. Their products are of excellent quality and this jam goes wonderfully with this gingerbread. To make a pie, I have dusted the parchment paper with flower a bit, placed the dough on it, placed another piece of paper on top and rolled the dough out on a round, about ¼ inch thick. Then I have spread the jam on one half of the circle, it took about 2.5 tablespoons for half the portion of the dough. Then, I have carefully folded the second half over with the assistance of the paper. The dough is very soft and may rip easily. Not to worry as it evens the rip pot as it bakes. I have baked my half portion pie for about 25 minutes at 350 F.