It’s time to prepare the dough for Old Polish gingerbread. My grandmother’s recipe turns out flawless

What distinguishes real old Polish gingerbread from the hastily made one is time and patience. The dough needs aging to the spices and honey could overcook and the mixture could harden and gain a deep taste.

My grandmother said that in her family home the cake matured for months – sometimes it was made at the end of summer. Today we lack this time and patience, so we just need to knead them 4-6 weeks before Christmas. Although some sources say 2 weeks is the optimal time, I do not recommend it. Once I was in such a hurry and regretted it – it just didn’t taste the same. In practice: at the earliest set the cake right after All Saints’ Daythe last moment is the beginning of December if the gingerbread is to be ready for Christmas.

Remember to the mass matured in a cool place with a temperature of approx. 5-10 °Cwhich promotes even penetration of flavors and gradual evaporation of excess moisture.

There are plenty of recipes for long-maturing gingerbread, but in my family we have been faithful to the tradition for years. This is my grandmother’s recipe, apparently passed down from generation to generation. Slightly improved, changed, but still as reliable. Will you try it this year?

Ingredients (for one large cake or three cakes):

• approx. 1 kg of wheat flour (can be luxurious or type 550),
• 500 g of natural honey (e.g. multifloral or buckwheat),
• 250 g of butter (some can be replaced with pork lard),
• 300-400 g of sugar (white or cane),
• 3 large eggs,
• 125 ml of milk,
• 3 flat teaspoons of baking soda,
• ½ teaspoon of salt,
• 4-5 tablespoons of gingerbread spices (cinnamon, cloves, ginger, cardamom),
• plum jam (approx. 800-1000 g) to be transferred,
• 300 g of dark chocolate + 200 ml of 30% cream for the icing,
• optional: walnuts, coconut flakes or orange peel for decoration.

Step by step:

1. Melt the honey, butter and sugar in a pot over medium heat. Stir until the ingredients are combined, do not bring to a sudden boil, just make sure it is well combined.
2. Remove the pot from the heat and let the mixture cool slightly.
3. Mix flour, salt and gingerbread spice in a bowl. Pour in the honey and fat mixture. Add eggs. In a separate glass, dissolve the baking soda in the milk and pour it into the dough. Mix everything – the consistency will be thick and sticky.
4. Transfer the dough to a large stoneware, glass or ceramic bowl. Cover with a linen or cotton cloth (not tightly with foil so that the dough can breathe) and set aside in a cool place, preferably for 4-6 weeks.
5. After the dough has matured, divide it into 3 parts and roll each part into a rectangle about 1 cm thick. Place on baking paper and bake in an oven preheated to approx. 170-180 °C for about 20 minutes (without convection). The cake will harden slightly after baking.
6. When the tops have cooled down, spread a thick layer of plum jam on two of them and cover them with the third layer. Wrap the dough in aluminum or food foil and weigh it down with something heavier (e.g. a board + a book) so that the tops fit together well. Set aside in a cool place for 2-3 days.
7. Melt the chocolate with cream in a water bath or over very low heat, mix and pour over the top and sides of the gingerbread. Sprinkle with nuts or other additions. Once the icing has hardened, the cake is ready to be served.

Storing the raw dough and then the finished gingerbread has a huge impact on the effect. Here are the proven rules:

• Place the dough in a glass, ceramic or stoneware dish. Plastic containers are less recommended – they may affect the taste and do not provide optimal insulation,
• cover with a cloth, not a tight lid – small airflows allow the mass to “breathe” and prevent moisture from accumulating,
• place in a cool and shady place – the bottom shelf of the fridge or a cool pantry are ideal. Avoid places close to heat sources,
• After baking the gingerbread, also keep it in a cool place. If it is filled with jam and covered with icing – aluminum foil and a cake container will work great,
• Ready-made gingerbread can be stored for several weeks or even months – thanks to honey, spices and proper ripening, the mass stays fresh for a long time.

Are you afraid of storing the dough for such a long time due to the risk of spoilage? Nothing like that will happen. The raw dough contains honey and spices (cloves, cinnamon, ginger) which have antibacterial and preservative properties. The ripening process, with the gradual evaporation of moisture and thickening of the mass, makes the conditions for mold development minimal, so success is guaranteed.

Sources: Terazgotuje.pl