Old Polish Gingerbread

Name: Old Polish Gingerbread
Prep time: 4320 min
Total time: 4320 min
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients: 500 g Wheat flour; 200 g sugar; 200 ml Honey; 150 g Butter; 120 szt. Egg; 30 g Cocoa; 20 łyżeczka Gingerbread spice; 5 g Baking soda; 3 szczypta Salt; 100 ml Milk; 50 ml Strong coffee, cooled; 100 g Walnuts; 200 g Plum preserves; 50 g Candied orange peel

Christmas Eve Dinner Desserts 4320 min Medium 14 wyświetleń ~49.64 PLN - (0)

Description

Old Polish gingerbread is an aromatic, moist spiced cake with a deep flavor of honey, spices, and nuts. Traditionally prepared in Poland for festive occasions, especially for Christmas Eve — it tastes best after a few days of resting, when the flavors meld together. It has a dark, uniform structure, a slightly chewy texture, and a rich aroma. Serve sliced into thin pieces, often layered with plum preserves and drizzled with icing or covered in chocolate. Visually striking — a dark brown center, a glossy layer of preserves, and a sprinkle of chopped nuts or orange peel.

Składniki (14)

Servings:

Wheat flour 500 g
sugar 200 g
Honey 200 ml
Butter 150 g
Egg 2 szt.
Cocoa 30 g
Baking soda 5 g
Milk 100 ml
Strong coffee, cooled 50 ml
Walnuts 100 g
🌿 Przyprawy
Gingerbread spice 10 łyżeczek
Salt 0.1 szczypt
✨ Opcjonalne
Plum preserves 200 g
Candied orange peel 50 g

💰 Szacowany koszt dania: ~49.64 PLN (4.14 PLN/porcję)

💡 Kliknij na składnik aby oznaczyć jako użyty

Preparation steps

Preparation of ingredients

Gather all the ingredients and measure them accurately. Chop the walnuts into small pieces (about 5 mm). If the butter is cold, cut it into slices to soften it more quickly. Take the eggs out in advance to reach room temperature (about 20-30 minutes). Sift the flour and cocoa together into a large bowl.

Ingredients: Wheat flour, Cocoa, Walnuts, Butter, Egg

Use a large bowl (at least 3 l) or a mixer bowl. A medium-density sieve is useful for sifting. Do not skip sifting the cocoa — it removes lumps.

Melting honey and butter

In a medium saucepan, combine butter, honey, and sugar. Heat over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the butter melts and the sugar partially dissolves (about 5-7 minutes). The mixture should be smooth and shiny; do not cook vigorously or bring to a boil — a gentle simmer at the edges is sufficient.

Ingredients: Butter, Honey, sugar

Use a heavy-bottomed saucepan to avoid burning. A kitchen thermometer is not necessary, but the mixture should not exceed 70°C. If the sugar has not completely dissolved, continue stirring over low heat for an additional 2-3 minutes.

Beating the eggs

Pour the honey-butter mixture into a bowl (slightly cooled to about 40°C). In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs with a fork or a whisk for 20-30 seconds until they are uniform. Slowly pour the eggs into the honey mixture, stirring simultaneously with a wooden spoon or a mixer on low speed to prevent curdling.

Ingredients: Egg, Honey, Butter

If you don't have a mixer, stir vigorously with a wooden spoon. The temperature of the mixture must not be too high (above ~50°C) — the eggs would curdle.

Mixing dry ingredients

To the sifted flour and cocoa, add the gingerbread spice, baking soda, and salt. Mix the dry ingredients thoroughly by hand with a spoon for about 30 seconds to evenly distribute the ingredients.

Ingredients: Wheat flour, Cocoa, Gingerbread spice, Baking soda, Salt

Use a spoon or whisk. Make sure the baking soda is evenly mixed — lumps of leavening powder can create local 'bumps' in the dough.

Combining the ingredients

Gradually pour the wet mixture (honey + butter + eggs) into the dry mixture — preferably in three batches. After each portion, gently mix with a wooden spoon or a mixer on the lowest speed until the ingredients are combined. If the mixture becomes too thick, add warm milk (100 ml) and mix until you achieve a thick but moist dough (the consistency should be thicker than for a regular sponge cake, similar to gingerbread dough). The entire mixing process will take about 5-8 minutes.

Ingredients: Wheat flour, Cocoa, Honey, Butter, Egg, Milk

Use a stand mixer with a dough hook or a large wooden spatula. Do not mix for too long — just enough for the ingredients to combine, as overmixing can result in a tougher texture.

Additions

Add chopped walnuts to the mixture and, if using, candied orange peel. Gently fold the ingredients together evenly (about 1-2 minutes).

Ingredients: Walnuts, Candied orange peel

If the nuts are fresh, you can lightly toast them in a dry pan for 3-4 minutes before chopping — this enhances the flavor. If you don't want pieces, you can use ground nuts.

Baking

Prepare a rectangular baking dish (e.g. 25x30 cm) or a round cake pan with a diameter of 24 cm — grease the bottom and sides with butter and line with parchment paper. Transfer the batter to the pan, smoothing the surface. Bake in a preheated oven at 160°C (with fan 150°C) for 45-55 minutes. After 40 minutes, check with a toothpick — it should come out with a few moist crumbs, but not raw batter. You will know it is fully baked when a spicy aroma emerges and the surface feels slightly springy to the touch (about 45-55 min).

Ingredients: Butter, Wheat flour, Cocoa

The best is a mold with a capacity of 2-3 liters. Use parchment paper to make it easier to remove the cake. If the top of the cake starts to brown too much, cover it with aluminum foil for the last 10-15 minutes.

Cooling and Slicing

Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a rack to cool for about 30-45 minutes. After it has cooled slightly (the cake should still be warm but not hot), remove it from the pan and let it cool completely (another 1-2 hours). When the cake is completely cool, gently slice it horizontally into two or three layers using a long, sharp knife or a cake saw.

Use a cooling rack to prevent the bottom from steaming. It's best to cut with a long serrated knife, moving the knife slowly in a "sawing" motion through the cake.

Soaking and Layering

Prepare the soaking mixture: combine the cooled strong coffee (50 ml) with 2-3 tablespoons of jam (about 40 g of jam). If you are using jam (optional), spread a thin layer of jam (about 15-20 g per layer) between each layer of cake. Additionally, gently soak each layer with the coffee mixture using a brush — do not overdo it; the total amount of coffee used should be about 50 ml.

Ingredients: Strong coffee, cooled, Plum preserves

If you don't want to use jam, you can soak it with just coffee diluted with a bit of water. Use a silicone kitchen brush or a spoon for soaking.

Maceration/Resting

After transferring the cake, limit air exposure — tightly wrap the gingerbread in plastic wrap, then place it in the refrigerator or a cool place (about 4-10°C) for at least 48 hours. It's best to leave it for 3-7 days to allow the flavors to meld. During this time, the gingerbread will gain moisture and an intense aroma.

If you want to serve gingerbread for Christmas Eve, prepare it at least 3 days in advance (preferably a week). Storing it in a cool place will allow for the best flavor.

Decoration and serving

Before serving, unwrap the gingerbread and if you want, decorate it: gently heat the preserves and spread a thin layer on top or prepare icing from powdered sugar and a few drops of water/lemon. Sprinkle the top with chopped nuts and candied orange peel. Cut into thin slices (2-3 mm) — the gingerbread is intense in flavor, so thin portions are appropriate.

Ingredients: Plum preserves, Walnuts, Candied orange peel

Use a sharp knife for cutting and wipe it between cuts to ensure even slices. Additionally, you can add more jam inside for a moister effect.

Fun Fact

💡

Gingerbread has a long tradition in Poland dating back to the Middle Ages; it was once a symbol of the holidays and part of home baking. The name comes from the word 'pierny' meaning peppery (originally seasoned with pepper), today a spice mix is more commonly used.

Best for

Wigilia Święta Bożego Narodzenia Prezent domowy

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve after a few days of resting, sliced thinly. It pairs well with a cup of black coffee, citrus tea, or a glass of milk. You can drizzle it with melted chocolate or prepare a thin icing with powdered sugar and lemon juice.

🥡 Storage

Store the gingerbread tightly wrapped in plastic wrap in a cool place (refrigerator or cool pantry) for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze sliced pieces separated by parchment paper — thaw slowly in the refrigerator. To refresh after storage, lightly moisten a piece with warm coffee.

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Ingredients (14)

Servings:

Wheat flour 500 g ~2.00 zł
sugar 200 g ~6.00 zł
Honey 200 ml ~20.00 zł
Butter 150 g ~6.00 zł
Egg 2 szt. ~0.96 zł
Cocoa 30 g ~0.75 zł
Baking soda 5 g ~0.06 zł
Milk 100 ml ~0.50 zł
Strong coffee, cooled 50 ml ~0.50 zł
Walnuts 100 g ~8.00 zł
🌿 Przyprawy
Gingerbread spice 10 łyżeczek ~0.60 zł
Salt 0.1 szczypt ~0.02 zł
✨ Opcjonalne
Plum preserves 200 g ~3.00 zł
Candied orange peel 50 g ~1.25 zł

💰 Szacowany koszt dania: ~49.64 PLN (4.14 PLN/porcję)

💡 Kliknij na składnik aby oznaczyć jako użyty

Wartości odżywcze

🔥

5119 kcal

Kalorie

Białko 85.8g

Węglowodany 774.7g

Tłuszcze 202.0g

🔥

296 kcal

Kalorie

Białko 5.0g

Węglowodany 44.8g

Tłuszcze 11.7g

Wartości przybliżone, obliczone na podstawie składników

Autor przepisu Pichcik

120 min

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