Ginger cookies
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England is considered the unofficial capital of tea desserts. Of course, this is largely due to the cozy, home-cooked tea parties that permeate the English lifestyle. Seeing photos of such ceremonies in luxury magazines and online makes you want to experience something beautiful.
According to research by the UK Tea Council, the daily consumption of select varietal tea by residents of England amounts to 120 million cups. And how could we live without various biscuits, gingerbread, scones, and other sweet treats? One of these culinary masterpieces that has become famous throughout the world is the "Ginger cookie." Its recipe and photo grace every culinary magazine and holiday advertisement for culinary products. It is a symbol of England and has a deep history.
Gingerbread Story
Everyone knows that ginger is beneficial, which is why the entire European West is smitten with it. However, northern India is rightfully recognized as the birthplace of "ginger." Its image can be found in various aspects of Indian life. Nowadays, high-quality ginger can be purchased in China and Jamaica.
Ginger has a long history. It is mentioned in the treatises of Confucius and even in the Koran. Ginger was brought to Europe with the first wave of Eastern spices. Ginger was quite expensive and has always been a sign of wealth and prosperity. Therefore, the appearance of gingerbread cookies among English monks, known for their ascetic lifestyle, was somewhat surprising. But the facts stubbornly prove that the 12th century, although some sources say the 13th century, is the date when the recipe for the delicious gingerbread cookie was born. The father of the gingerbread cookie is the English monk Brother Barbatus. While mixing dough, he experimentally decided to add a handful of ginger powder. He then molded various figures for the future cookie, primarily angels, crosses, and images of saints. As a result, the gingerbread cookie and its recipe became the property of England. Communities and clubs were formed in honor of the gingerbread cookie.
True culinary masterpieces began to emerge in the 19th century. Gingerbread towns were baked from gingerbread dough. The culinary compositions included houses, figures, and trees. Nuremberg, Pardubice, and Toruń were recognized as the most professional gingerbread clubs.
Naturally, over time, the gingerbread cookie recipe has acquired different variations, but all of them are delicious and aromatic, giving a feeling of warmth and comfort.
Whatever the gingerbread cookie recipe, the classic combination of all the necessary ingredients, including cinnamon, is considered the ultimate staple. It's the perfect ingredient for making gingerbread men, a symbol of Christmas and other holidays.
So, joining the rapidly spreading "ginger epidemic" and baking your own ginger cookies is quite simple. You don't need to be a professional pastry chef; just prepare no more than 0.1 kg of full-fat butter, the same amount of sugar (preferably brown), and the same amount of honey. You'll also need 1 teaspoon of ginger powder mixed with cinnamon, twice as much baking soda/baking powder, 1 egg, and 0.4 kg of flour (sifted, of course, for fluffiness).
First, cream the sugar and butter in a deep, wide-bottomed bowl until smooth and thoroughly mix with the honey. Add the egg, ginger powder, and cinnamon, and mix everything again. Only then add the flour and baking soda, and knead the dough, which is then rolled into a flat cake to create the cookies. Classic gingerbread cookies with cinnamon are baked under standard conditions. Incidentally, the quality of the cookies depends on the thickness of the rolled-out dough. A thinner dough will produce crispier cookies, while a thinner dough will look more like regular gingerbread in the photo.
The gingerbread cookie recipe probably wouldn't have become so popular if great chefs around the world hadn't perfected the classic cookie and created the elite "Ginger Cookie" recipe. It's this recipe that has become an iconic landmark in England.
In addition to the basic ingredients, this recipe also includes some modifications, including cinnamon. The ginger must be fresh. And the honey should be replaced with molasses. Incidentally, this recipe does not include eggs at all. It's important to add ½ teaspoon of allspice and ground white pepper. While these ingredients may look unusual in the photo, the delicious cookies are worth it.
The dough mixing technique remains the same regardless of the recipe, but it's best to refrigerate the finished dough for about 40 minutes. You can bake the cookies into balls or medallions. Let them cool for no more than 5 minutes before eating. Then dust them with powdered sugar, to which you can add grated lemon zest.
Gingerbread cookies, besides their delicious taste, are also highly practical. A bowl of these cookies will last no more than a week on the kitchen counter, but in the refrigerator or in an airtight container, they'll retain their flavor for up to a month, but will become much softer.
