Christmas is a season of love, an opportunity for everyone to gather and reunite with their loved ones. The lovely gingerbreads represent the warmth and familiarity of the family every Christmas
The origin and meaning of gingerbread cookies on Christmas Day
Talking about the history of gingerbread, the word itself comes from the Latin word for “ginger” and “bread” and is said to have first appeared in ancient Greece, and then, popularized around the world. Gingerbread cookies are also popular during the Christmas season when it is eaten as a snack. Therefore, gingerbread is still a favorite dish during the holidays, especially during the Christmas season with the meaning of bringing joy and happiness to everyone.
Why should you choose to make gingerbread cookies for Christmas
In this case, the indispensable ingredient is ginger powder. Dried ginger powder is made from fresh ginger and is dried before use. It is a fine powder with a strong aroma and pungent taste. This powder is easy to store and has a long shelf life of one year. When it comes to the uses of ginger powder, there are many:
Cure stomach irritation
This powder along with sugarcane juice is used to cure stomach irritation. Consume this mixture every day early in the morning to relieve pain caused by stomach irritation.
Reduce headache
One of the best benefits of this powder is headache relief. You can also apply the powder paste on your throat to relieve sore throat.
Anti-inflammatory
The dried ginger powder contains anti-inflammatory properties that can soothe arthritis. It can cure swollen joints and relieve knee pain.
Boosts metabolism
The dried ginger powder contains thermogenic substances that are useful for burning fat and treating obesity. Taking this powder to speed up metabolism will burn stored fat in the body. This is also helpful for lowering cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the body.
Supports weight loss
One of the effective benefits of ginger powder is to aid in weight loss. Ginger tea from this powder is the best remedy for weight loss.
In addition, the cake also has ingredients such as cinnamon powder, honey, and brown sugar… creating an extremely warm taste. Biting a piece of crispy, fragrant biscuits, the warmth spreads and dispels the cold of the last days of the year. In addition, it is also associated with the legend of two brothers Hansel and Gretel about the candy house in Grimm fairy tales.
Not only used to eat, ginger biscuits, with many cute shapes, are also used to decorate indoor spaces on the most sacred occasion for Christians. Cakes can be round, pine, triangular, snowman… or any shape depending on the imagination of the maker. Therefore, gingerbread cookies are always a meaningful Christmas gift to give to your loved ones every Christmas.
Some tips when making gingerbread cookies
- Gingerbread cookies are one of the best to make at home. But when you make them, it can be hard to remember the proportions and time to bake them. Follow these simple tips to ensure you don’t leave a pile of gingerbread cookies in the oven.
1. Make sure your gingerbread dough cools down before you start baking.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line your cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
3. Once you have a dough ball, take a small piece and roll the dough on a surface sprinkled with flour. Make sure your surface is also sprinkled with flour so the dough doesn’t stick.
4. When you have finished rolling out the dough, poke a few holes in the dough with a fork and then spread the dough out onto the prepared baking tray.
Once you’ve completed this step, take your dough and cut it into strips about 2 inches wide
5. Bake for 10-12 minutes, then cool on the baking tray for 5 minutes before transferring to rack to cool completely
HOW TO MAKE GINGERBREAD COOKIE
Here is a gingerbread cookie recipe that my family and I love. Thanks to the moist softness of the cake, the shape, sharp edges at the edges, and perfect taste. I’ve tried a lot of spices and I love the taste of these cookies using a scoop of ground ginger and ground cinnamon.
Let’s embark on this ginger biscuit-making experience! Let’s Go!
Ingredients for making Gingerbread Cookie
- Wheat flour 210 gr
- Cinnamon powder 3 gr
- Ginger powder 5 gr
- Baking soda 1/2 teaspoon
- Unsalted Butter 85 gr
- Brown sugar 50 gr
- Honey 2 teaspoons
- 1 chicken egg
- 1 pinch salt
- Powdered sugar 150 gr
- 1 little food coloring
- Egg white 1 pc
Tools for making cakes
Oven, whisk, flour sieve, rolling pin, bowl, ice cream bag, stencils, cake mold,…
Guide to making gingerbread cookies
- Step 1: Mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon powder, and ginger powder in a separate large bowl.
Step 2: Put in the pot of corn syrup, butter, brown sugar, and salt, turn on low heat, and stir until butter and sugar dissolve.
Step 3: Slowly pour the mixture (2) into the flour mixture (1), and knead until smooth (at first the mixture was quite hot, so I used a spatula to mix, after it cooled down, knead with clean hands again. ). The mixture is sticky, not too dry or too mushy.
Step 4: Wrap it in a food bag and put it in the fridge for 20 minutes before taking it out.
Step 5: Roll the dough evenly, flat, about 0.5-0.7cm thick. If the dough is sticky, you can put a layer of parchment paper or nylon on top of the dough and then roll it over the backing paper.
When baking, the cake will expand, so you should not roll it too thick.
Step 6: Use the press cutter to cut the dough. When cutting, press down on the mold, and turn it slightly so that the edges of the cake are beautifully rounded and also easier to remove the dough.
Step 7: Carefully transfer the cut shapes to a baking tray lined with parchment paper or a non-stick tray.
Step 8: Cover the tray with cling film, and place in the fridge for about 30 minutes (this helps the cake keep its shape and color better)
Step 9: Preheat the oven for 10 minutes before baking with 180 degrees, two upper and lower heat. Place the baking tray in the center position and bake for 10-12 minutes.
HOW TO MAKE DECORATION ICING LINE
- ICING SUGAR is a form of “cement” to build gingerbread houses or to decorate cakes, liquid, is very flexible and sticky, leaving it in the air for a while will harden it. How to make an Icing line is as follows:
Step 1: Put the egg whites in a bowl and prepare to beat.
Step 2: Place the bowl of eggs in a water bath in a small pot, bring the water to a boil in the pot, and reduce the heat. Use a whisk to stir continuously so that the eggs are only warm but not cooked.
Step 3: When the eggs are warm, take them out and beat them at a slow speed for about 15 seconds. When the eggs start to bubble, add the cream of tartar. Continue to slow for another 10-15 seconds and then gradually increase the speed.
Step 4: When the eggs are fluffy and the bubbles are smaller, reduce the speed to medium and slowly add the sugar. Just add the sugar and beat the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Step 5: Beat until the mixture is flexible, and smooth, lift the beater, the sugar will flow down intermittently, not in a continuous stream.
Step 6: Start drawing decorations on the gingerbread cookies the way you like.
Just wait for the icing to harden, that’s it, these lovely Christmas gingerbread cookies are ready for Christmas to add warmth.
Note
Special tools needed to make gingerbread cookies: Cookie cutters, rolling pin, large baking tray, food wrap…
How to knead the dough properly to get a delicious and soft cake
Many people have the misconception that kneading the dough will make the cake more difficult to make. That’s not true at all! Kneading the dough is a great way to mix all the ingredients and help the dough rise. To start, make sure your hands are clean and dry. Then take a spoonful of dough and scoop it onto your work surface, you can also use your hands to do this. Next, take the dough and form a ball. Start by rolling it over the work surface with your hand, then press it down with your other hand. Next, gently press the dough down with both hands and pull it away from the work surface. You should now have a smooth dough.
How to preserve Icing sugar to decorate gingerbread cookies
If the mixture is too thick, add a few drops of water, if it is too liquid, add more sugar and beat. Icing sugar dries very quickly, so after it’s done, put it in an ice cream bag to keep it moist.
How to preserve cakes for a long time
The best way to store gingerbread cookies is in an airtight container. Make sure the container has a lid and is sealed with sealant. You should also make sure that the container is large enough to fit your cookies so they don’t crumble. If you can’t find a case, you can use a zip lock bag. Just make sure the bag is sealed and stored in the refrigerator.
I hope you and your family will enjoy these delicious soft gingerbread cookies as much as my family! Plus, check out all the cookie recipes and Christmas cookie recipes here on First Time Foods!
