History of Gingerbread
The origin of honey bread
The ancestor of gingerbread is honey bread, known to the ancient Egyptians and Greeks. Aristophanes mentions “melitounta”, made from sesame flour and coated with honey, while Athenaeus of Naucratis, who lived in Alexandria around 200 AD, mentions “melilates” made in Rhodes. As for the Romans, they had the soldiers’ “panis mellitus”, cited by Pliny the Elder. This honey bread was made from various flours and honey, without spices.
Regional varieties
- France :
- Reims and Dijon: Two cities famous for their gingerbread.
- Paris: The Gingerbread Fair is a not-to-be-missed event.
- Alsace: Also famous for its delicious gingerbread.
- Germany :
- Gingerbread is very popular, especially at Christmas markets.
- Austria :
- Strong tradition, often with local variations.
- Czech Republic and other countries :
- Gingerbread is also appreciated and eaten here.
Gingerbread is a sweet that transcends borders, finding its place in the culinary traditions of many countries around the world.
Gingerbread cookies
Ingredients for gingerbread cookies
- 700 g flour
- 150 g butter
- 250 g honey
- 170 g sugar
- 4 tsp gingerbread spice
- 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 sachet of baking powder
- 3 egg yolks
- 10 cl milk
- 1 pinch salt
Preparation of the gingerbread cookies
Prepare the dough the day before.
In a saucepan, melt the butter with the honey and sugar, stirring constantly. Stir until well blended. Mix the flour, gingerbread spices, cocoa, baking powder, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Add your melted butter/honey/sugar mixture. Mix well to obtain a homogeneous dough, and leave to cool for 15 minutes. Add the egg yolks and milk. Knead until you have a nice, smooth dough. Leave it to rest overnight.
The next day, using various cookie cutters, cut out the desired shapes.
Bake at 180°c for 12 minutes.
