Gingerbread (perníčky) with rum – 1. Perníková škola

recipe

These gingerbread (perníčky) with a larger amount of cocoa are among the darker ones, on which white decoration beautifully stands out. Moreover, they are exceptional for their use of rum. Rum is not very common in gingerbread recipes. But here, just like in other sweet doughs, it can add a specific aroma and enhance the taste of spices and cocoa. It is worth trying because preparation takes only about twenty minutes. The dough is easy to work with, although it sticks a bit to your hands when finishing on the board. The beautiful dark color of the gingerbread (perníčky) after baking is accentuated by their shine. If we pay proper attention to baking, they are beautiful on their own, and even minimalist icing decoration is sufficient to highlight them. In this respect, they are very suitable for beginning gingerbread makers, who only need to master a few basic decorative elements to create original pieces. Because the rum aroma also pairs well with plum jam, this recipe is also suitable for sandwich gingerbread (perníčky). In that case, we can gently press half an almond into half of the cut shapes before baking and then sandwich the gingerbread (perníčky) together with plum jam thinned with a bit of rum without any additional decoration.

Rum enhances the flavor of gingerbread spice and cocoa. It adds a specific aroma to the dough that you won't find in other gingerbread (perníčky).

Benefits

quick and easy preparation
beautiful dark color
delicately aromatic flavor

Ingredients

600 g plain wheat flour
300 g powdered sugar
2 lžíce cocoa
1 tablespoon of gingerbread spice
1 teaspoon of baking soda
8 tablespoons of honey
3 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of rum
1 egg
2 egg yolks
1 egg for brushing

Preparation procedure

In a suitable container, gently warm the honey, dissolve the butter in it, and after cooling, mix in the eggs, egg yolks, and rum.
Gradually pour this mixture into a bowl with flour well mixed with sugar, spices, cocoa, and baking soda. Process the dough first with a wooden spoon, then finish and knead well on a board.
In the cold (carefully wrapped in a plastic bag or food wrap), let it rest until the next day.
Roll out portions of the dough into a sheet approximately 5 mm thick and cut out the desired shapes. If we will be sandwiching the gingerbread (perníčky), roll the sheet to only 3 mm..
Bake in an oven preheated to 190°C for about 8-10 minutes. After removing, lightly brush the still-hot gingerbread (perníčky) with egg beaten with a bit of hot water.

Tips from my experience

You can work with the dough the next day right after taking it out of the refrigerator. However, if you leave it in the cold for another two or three days, it becomes even easier to work with.
This time, you must pay attention to the size of eggs; it is necessary to use at least medium size, otherwise the dough would be too dense.
The gingerbread (perníčky) are very dark, so white linear and lace decoration stands out excellently on them.

My Recommendation

Thanks to the combination of spices, cocoa, and rum, the gingerbread (perníčky) have a very delicious taste, so I recommend them for larger and smaller pieces intended for direct consumption. Because their glossy dark surface is beautiful on its own, even simple white decoration is sufficient to complete them.
They are therefore an ideal choice for those who are just beginning with decoration. This dough can also be used for smaller assembled motifs (such as four-leaf clovers), because it bonds well when baked, and it is also suitable for smaller 3D molds (e.g., eggs or hollow hearts).
The dough is also suitable for building smaller gingerbread houses. However, I do not recommend it for large three-dimensional baking, as it does not have the necessary firmness.

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