Fragrant gingerbreads with unique flavor, many like more than usual. They are prepared for the New Year and other holidays. They are happy to eat children and adults. The dough for gingerbread is prepared using the same technology as for all others. This process is somewhat more complicated than the preparation of cookies, has certain subtleties. A distinctive feature of gingerbread for gingerbread is the fact that it is never mixed in sugar syrup alone, it always contains molasses or honey.
Cooking Features
There are two main technologies for making dough for gingerbread. On one of them the dough is made raw, on the other - choux. The first option is considered to be simpler, but gingerbread cakes are more lush and soft from choux pastry; they remain soft and crumbly longer. No matter what version of the gingerbread dough you are going to cook, knowing a few things will come in handy.
- Dough for gingerbread can be made from wheat flour alone or its mixture with rye. It is important not to use second-rate products for it. Low-grade flour gives the product an unpleasant taste, for gingerbread it is unacceptable.
- Flour before use must sift. Experienced cooks do it even 2-3 times. The purpose of this manipulation is not only to rid the product of small litter and insect larvae. The main task is to saturate it with oxygen. After sifting the flour becomes light, it is easier to mix it with other components, preventing the formation of lumps. Baking from such flour comes out more tender and airy.
- When preparing the dough for gingerbread, you need to strictly observe the recipe and do not deviate from the instructions accompanying the selected recipe. If the liquid base is prepared incorrectly, it will turn out to be more liquid or thick than it is required, the result may not meet the expectations of the chef.
- Ginger in gingerbread dough is added in the form of powder or grated. If the recipe contains grated ginger, the fresh root is ground immediately before it is put into the dough.
Before rolling, the gingerbread dough must be cooled, otherwise it will be difficult to work with it. Usually, the dough is rolled into a layer with a thickness of 0, 5 mm or a little more, the necessary figures are cut out of it with molds. Sometimes balls are made from dough, flatten them and bake in this form. Place the baking products in the preheated oven, prepare them at a temperature of about 200 degrees.
Raw dough for gingerbread
Composition:
- honey - 0, 2 l;
- treacle - 50 g;
- wheat flour - 0, 38 kg;
- chicken egg - 2 pcs .;
- brown sugar - 100 g;
- vanilla sugar - 10 g;
- baking powder for dough - 10 g;
- ginger powder - 5 g;
- butter - 100 g.
Method of preparation:
- In the bowl, put molasses and honey, add the butter, chopped in small pieces, to them.
- Put the food bowl in a water bath or a very slow fire. Heat them by stirring, until they completely melt.
- Add brown sugar to the warm mixture. You can use white sugar, but then the gingerbread will be lighter and less appetizing.
- Stir products, having achieved complete dissolution of sugar. Remove the mixture from the heat and let it cool.
- Break eggs into a clean bowl, whisk them. Add them to the cooled sweet mixture. Stir until smooth.
- Sift flour. Mix it with vanilla sugar, ginger and baking powder.
- Add a dry mixture to the liquid base, stir the dough to a state of smoothness - there shouldn't be any flour lumps in it.
- Form a ball from the dough, wrap it with cling film and put in the fridge for an hour and a half.
After the indicated time has passed, form small balls of dough, flatten them between your palms, put them on a baking tray covered with parchment and send them to a preheated oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes at a temperature of 200 degrees.
Choux pastry for gingerbread
Composition:
- sugar - 0, 45 kg;
- honey - 0, 45 l;
- wheat flour - 0 65 kg;
- rye flour - 150 g;
- butter - 160 g;
- chicken egg - 3 pcs .;
- water - 0, 25 l;
- ground ginger - 5 g;
- soda - 10 g.
Method of preparation:
- Pour a glass of sugar to the bottom of the pan. Heat it over low heat until it darkens and melts.
- Pour warm boiled water to caramel, add remaining sugar. Cook until the sugar has melted and the mixture turns into a syrup.
- Add honey and butter, cut into small pieces. Continue cooking the syrup, stirring, until it turns into a homogeneous mixture.
- Remove the liquid base from the fire. Put ginger in it, mix. Ginger powder can be replaced with grated ginger, it is enough to take 10-20 g.
- Beating the mixture with a whisk or a mixer, add a glass of sifted wheat flour into it.
- Return to the stove and heat, stirring until the dough begins to boil.
- Remove the brew pan from the stove, pour the soda into it, mix well.
- Allow the dough to cool slightly, beat the eggs into it.
- In parts, enter the remaining flour (both wheat and rye).
Cool the dough for 12 hours, roll out, cut the figures out of it and bake them at 200 degrees. Finished and cooled gingerbread can be covered with egg whitening and icing sugar.
Dough for chocolate gingerbread
Composition:
- honey - 100 ml;
- butter - 0, 2 kg;
- milk chocolate - 100 g;
- sugar - 100 g;
- ground ginger - 10 g;
- wheat flour - 0, 45 kg;
- chicken egg - 2 pcs .;
- cocoa powder - 50 g;
- baking powder for dough - 15 g;
- ground cinnamon - 5 g.
Method of preparation:
- Combine butter with honey and chopped chocolate. Melt them in a water bath.
- Cool, add eggs, whisk.
- Sift flour, mix it with the remaining dry ingredients. Enter the resulting mixture into a liquid base, stir the dough until smooth.
- After wrapping the dough in the film, cool it for 2-3 hours.
After this time, you can start making chocolate-gingerbread.
The dough for gingerbread can be custard or raw. The latter is made easier, but products from it harden faster. Ginger in the dough can be supplemented with other spices: nutmeg, cardamom, cinnamon, then the gingerbread will be even more fragrant.
