10/05/2015

Gingerbread Cookies with Buckwheat Flour and Coffee


There is no Christmas without the fragrant and delicious Gingerbread cookies... Oh, it is not Christmas yet?? Ha ha, yes I know! I'm making these for a friend who have been asking me since last Christmas to bake them again.


 
One of my favorite Christmas recipe, soft and fluffy gingerbreads from Toruń, Poland. These are traditional polish treats that have been baked since the Middle Ages. The first mention of  the Toruń gingerbreads comes from as early as 1380! Incredible, isn`t it? I love everything vintage so it is no surprise that I fell in love with these :) They are made with honey and a lot of aromatic spices. You can keep them stored for a few months and with passing time they get even tastier - how is that even possible, right? But the truth is that in my home they don`t last even a week :)

 
 
  Gingerbread Cookies with Buckwheat  Flour and Coffee
(makes about 40 cookies)
 
Cookies
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 buckwheat flour
2 tbsp flavorful honey
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp gingerbread spice mix, store bought or home made (recipe follows)
1 tsp cocoa powder
1 tsp instant coffee powder or granules
1 tbsp butter, softened
1 medium egg, plus 1 egg extra for glazing the cookies
approximately 1/3 cup lukewarm milk
 
  Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp cold water
1 tbsp lemon juice

Gingerbread Spice Mix
(makes 2 tbsp)
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground all spice
1 tsp ground clove
1 tsp ground nutmeg

Method :
1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Line two baking sheets with baking paper.
2. Heat the honey in a small saucepan, until begins to boil. Turn off the heat and set aside.
3. In a bowl of a stand mixer sift together the flours, cocoa powder, spices and baking soda. Add the hot honey and mix to combine.
4. Mix the coffee powder with 1 tbsp of the milk and add to the flour mix along with an egg and butter.
5. Gradually add the rest of the milk, tablespoon at a time. Kneed the dough until it becomes smooth and glossy, about 10 minutes.
6. Roll the dough on a lightly flowered surface to a 1cm thickness. Cut into desired shapes and place onto prepared sheets. Glaze the cookies with an egg wash and bake until golden brown, 10-15 minutes.
7. Cool the on the cooling rack before glazing.
8. To make the glaze, mix all the ingredients until pourable consistency. Use a pastry brush to spread an even layer all over the gingerbreads.
9. Store the cookies in an airtight container up to three months.   
 




 
 
 
 

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