The tradition of making gingerbread in Polish culture dates back to the Middle Ages. There are several cities on the map of Poland that produced them on a large scale. Even though today we associate them only with Toruń, they also marked the history of Krakow. Find out what made them stand out from other baked goods.
The first gingerbread in Krakow were made already in the 14th century. From that moment on, their production began to develop on a larger scale, thanks to which they became prominent in the history of this city. Krakow’s gingerbread was sold at fairs, shops, and on the tables of townspeople and aristocrats.
Krakow gingerbread, although it comes from the same tradition, it is distinguished by its taste and structure. In addition to standard ingredients such as sugar and spices, it also contains a larger amount of butter, as well as rye and spelled flour. As a result, the gingerbreads are more fragile and dense, but after baking they are immediately soft. They also have a slightly different aroma due to the addition of rum.
Unlike Toruń gingerbread, where apart from the cookie itself, decorations and fancy shapes also count, Krakow gingerbread prides itself on its simplicity. They are usually baked in the form of rectangles or circles, which are then covered only with a thin layer of icing. Thanks to this, you can easily appreciate their noble taste.
Ingredients:
- 500 g of wheat flour,
- 750 g of spelled flour,
- 500 ml of honey,
- 200 g sugar,
- 6 eggs,
- 50 ml of rum,
- 400 g of butter,
- 1.5 teaspoons of baking powder,
- 1.5 teaspoons of baking soda,
- 2-3 tablespoons of gingerbread spice.
Place the butter and sugar in a pot with a thick bottom. Heat over low heat, stirring until the ingredients dissolve. Turn off the heat and add honey to the still hot mixture. If it is not liquid, you may need to reheat the whole thing. Then add gingerbread spice and rum and mix.
Sift the flour, baking soda and baking powder into a separate bowl. Mix everything until the ingredients are combined. Crack the eggs into another bowl and mix them until fluffy.
When the mixture of honey, butter, sugar and spices cools down, we can combine the ingredients. First add the eggs and then gradually the flour. Mix with a spoon until the dough is smooth and has no lumps. It should be quite thick, so the mixing process may take a while. Cover the finished mass with a linen cloth and set aside to rest in a cool place. The dough should be ready after about 4 weeks for baking.
After this time, we can start baking cookies. Just roll it out and then cut out gingerbread cookies in any shape. Bake them in an oven preheated to 180 degrees C for 10-15 minutes. They will be ready when they rise nicely and are golden brown. It is worth remembering that the recipe can be used to prepare tops for Old Polish gingerbread. It is worth preparing a larger batch of dough and enjoying it in various forms.
Source: Terazgotuje.pl, lesnyzakatekdany.blogspot.com
