Egg Yolk Gingerbread (perníčky)

recipe

This recipe apparently comes from a wealthy region, because it really doesn't skimp on ingredients. The reward, however, will be a very fine dough. For this recipe as well, we don't know the exact time of origin, but because it contains less honey in proportion to flour and conversely more sugar, plus additional ingredients, we can assume that it appeared sometime at the beginning of the last century. Preparing the dough is somewhat more time-consuming, it will take about 30 minutes, and if we don't have liquid honey prepared in advance, it will be even longer. However, the dough works very well with a wooden spoon, and only at the very end is it necessary to briefly finish it by hand on a board. In addition to the traditional aroma of gingerbread spice, this time the aroma of lemon and orange zest is also prominently featured. We can successfully use this when preparing Christmas gingerbread cookies, which we can also use in combination with ribbons as decorations on the tree.

These gingerbread (perníčky) stand out with a delicate and sophisticated combination of flavors of honey, butter, almonds, and citrus zest.

Benefits

  • more pronounced lemon-honey aroma
  • excellent buttery-almond taste
  • ideal for Christmas shapes

Ingredients

  • 1000 g plain wheat flour
  • 250 g powdered sugar
  • 250 g honey 
  • 100 g finely ground almonds
  • 100 g butter
  • 1 tablespoon of grated lemon zestt
  • 1 tablespoon of grated orange zest
  • 1 tablespoon of gingerbread spice
  • 1 teaspoon of ammonium bicarbonate
  • 4 eggs
  • 8 egg yolks

Preparation procedure

  • The preparation of the dough is also somewhat different from most recipes. We start by whipping whole eggs and egg yolks together with lemon and orange zest in a sufficiently large bowl, then add liquid honey, sugar, and melted butter.

  • We add ground almonds, which we've mixed with ammonium.

  • Into this mixture we then gradually incorporate the flour, first with a wooden spoon, then finish by hand on a board. It goes easily, the dough practically doesn't stick. We verify the correct consistency with the "loaf test" (see introduction), so it's possible that we won't use the entire amount of flour. 
  • Wrap well in plastic wrap or a plastic bag and set aside for 24 hours in a cool place. Then roll out the dough in portions to a sheet about 5mm thick and cut out shapes. Bake in a preheated oven at 190°C for approximately 10 minutes.
  • While still hot, this time brush the gingerbread cookies with sugar water. Prepare this by dissolving three tablespoons of sugar in two tablespoons of hot water.

Tips from my experience

  • You need truly liquid honey so it mixes well. You can warm it up a bit beforehand if needed. However, when preparing the dough itself, the honey must be cooled down so it doesn't negatively affect the ammonium.
  • "Knead the dough on the board very gently and briefly, maximum 2-3 minutes. Longer processing will make it stick more to your hands and worsen the quality of the "perníčky"."
  • "The ingredient list is quite generous, you'll cut out about 140 small pieces from it. If that seems too many, prepare the dough with half the amount."

My Recommendation

The gingerbread (perníčky) made from this dough taste excellent, especially after resting for several days, but again, their color and consistency might remind some people of cookies rather than traditional gingerbread. After baking, the  gingerbread (perníčky) have a light color and matte surface. They are best suited for various smaller shapes intended for direct consumption.
For Christmas motifs meant to be hung on the tree, don't forget to punch a hole for the ribbon before baking. If you want the surface of the gingerbread (perníčky) to be shiny, brush them with egg beaten with a tablespoon of hot water instead of sugar water.
This dough is not suitable for more complex assemblies, such as layered gingerbread or three-dimensional baking."

 

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