Rediscovering the festive charm of gingerbread delights
What cake is most associated with Christmas? Answers may vary, but the most traditional dessert is certainly gingerbread. We often wait for the holidays just to savour it. It truly tastes best during this time.
29 November 2024 12:38
The basic ingredients of gingerbread include flour, honey, and a medley of aromatic spices. In ancient times, exotic spices were added, which were synonymous with wealth and high social status. Thanks to these additions, gingerbread was hard, decorative, and used as ornaments on Christmas tables. Over time, the ingredients have changed slightly, but these baked goods are still associated with Christmas.
A cake that complements traditional dishes
Even if we overlook gingerbread throughout the year, during the holiday season we rediscover our appetite for this aromatic, spicy baked treat. It's hard to imagine a table without it at Christmas. Its taste complements the traditional dishes we enjoy during Christmas Eve dinner. Therefore, it is often served as a dessert alongside dried fruit compote.
It doesn't have to be matured gingerbread
There are many recipes for this baked good. Thus, you don't always have to opt for matured gingerbread, which requires considerable effort. You can choose a much simpler bake. The success of gingerbread depends not only on the cake itself. The intense, multidimensional taste also stems from the additions. Gingerbread is traditionally layered with plum preserves, further enhancing its spicy notes.
A cream to add flavour to any gingerbread
The second filling traditionally used in gingerbreads is semolina cream. Today, it's somewhat forgotten, but it’s worth reviving. Its delicate taste "softens" the aromas of gingerbread with a milky flavour. Its texture is also quite intriguing. Semolina is another name for farina. Although the grains are not overtly detectable, the bake definitely has three textures: a quite dense cake, moist, aromatic preserves, and semolina cream. Although it's a traditional recipe, this is indeed how modern desserts are composed. Semolina cream is also excellent for honey cake.
Semolina cream for gingerbread
Ingredients:
- 500 ml milk,
- 4-5 tablespoons farina,
- 225 g butter,
- 125 g icing sugar,
- Vanilla sugar or vanilla extract to taste.
Instructions:
- Heat the milk thoroughly in a saucepan, then add the farina and cook for about 3 minutes.
- Set it aside to cool completely.
- Cream the butter until fluffy.
- Add the icing sugar and vanilla sugar to the mixture, and continue to cream until the ingredients are combined.
- Then, start adding the cooled farina and mix everything to create a smooth cream.
