Aged Gingerbread Cake

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This easy-to-prepare gingerbread dough is a delightful treat that requires a bit of patience and time. I embarked on my culinary journey five to six weeks before Christmas, creating the dough that would transform into a mouthwatering cake. The baked cake would be filled with layers of luscious plum butter and marzipan, capturing a perfect blend of flavors. To truly enhance the taste, a generous glaze of decadent chocolate would envelop the cake, adding a silky richness. But the magic doesn’t stop here. After the glazing, the gingerbread will rest, allowing the flavors to deepen and intensify over the next couple of days. With the passing of time, this ginger cake would become a true sensory delight, its aroma infused with warm gingerbread spice and the satisfying essence of molasses. As you take your first bite, the cake would melt in your mouth, leaving you in awe of the incredible combination of flavors and the tender texture.

A bit of history: Gingerbread is claimed to have been brought to Europe in 992 AD by the Armenian monk Gregory of Nicopolis (also called Gregory Makar and Grégoire de Nicopolis). He left Nicopolis (in modern-day western Greece) to live in Bondaroy (north-central France), near the town of Pithiviers. He stayed there for seven years until his death in 999 and taught gingerbread baking to French Christians. It may have been also brought to Western Europe from the eastern Mediterranean in 11th century.

Since the 13th century, Toruń gingerbread was made in Toruń, then State of the Teutonic Order (now Poland). It gained fame in the realm and abroad when it was brought to Sweden by German immigrants. In 15th-century Germany, a gingerbread guild controlled production. Early references from the Vadstena Abbey show that the Swedish nuns baked gingerbread to ease indigestion in 1444. It was the custom to bake white biscuits and paint them as window decorations. In England, gingerbread was also thought to have medicinal properties. 16th-century writer John Baret described gingerbread as "a kind of cake or paste made to comfort the stomach."

Some believe that honey and pepper cakes baked in ancient Rome are the ancestors of gingerbread. It was supposed to be propagated by the Benedictines, who recommended eating cake for a cold. Already then, the warming and antibacterial properties of spices were known.

The traditions of Benedictine cuisine were quickly adopted in German cities. Soon, gingerbread became a dessert available not only in pharmacies, but also on the tables of the magnates. The high prices of exotic spices made them a symbol of luxury and prosperity.

There are many legends and customs associated with gingerbread. Apparently, the recipes for the cake were passed down only in the family, and the process of its preparation could take even years! There is also a custom from old Polish villages, according to which the dough was kneaded during the daughter's baptism, and then aged until the bride was getting married. WOW!!

**Christmas 2023**
**A Journey Towards Hope**
As 2023 comes to a close, let us carry with us the lessons learned and the values we hold dear. Let us be guided by empathy, compassion, and respect for all beings. Together, we can champion the cause of unity and equality, fostering a world where our planet's natural beauty is cherished and preserved.
So, as we stand on the precipice of a new year, let us remember that it is never too late to cultivate peace and hope. As individuals united by the shared mission for a better world, our humble actions have the potential to transcend boundaries and ignite positive change.
May the new year be a gateway to a brighter future—an era of peace, restoration, and boundless hope for our planet.

By Zosia Culinary Adventures | Date: September 28, 2023

Preparation Time: maturing dough in the fridge = at least 1 month prior baking; resting dough in room temperature prior baking = 1 hour; gingerbread cake assembly after baking= 30 minutes; resting assembled cakes = 3 days in the fridge

Baking Time: 15-20 minutes

Decorating: 30 minutes

Yield: 48 servings

Equipment for aging the dough: Clay pot with a lid

Ingredients to make the dough:

500 g of honey
1/2 cup cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
250 g of butter
3 eggs, lightly beaten, room temperature
900 g bread or all purpose flour
50g rye flour
50 g whole wheat flour
3 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
100 g raisins, whole or pureed
100 g almonds or walnuts, chopped or fine grind
100 g prunes, chopped or pureed
1 tbsp brandy or puree vanilla essence

Ingredients for the Cake filling:

600 g of plum or apple butter or confiture
at least 420g marzipan plus (plus icing sugar for rolling out the marzipan on the surface which prevents from sticking onto the table)

Ingredients for the Chocolate Glaze:

200g good quality dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids) chopped
50g vegetable oil
1/2 sliced almonds for decoration (optional)

Instructions to prepare the dough:

Take a stainless steel pot and place it over low heat on the stove. Add the butter, honey, molasses, and brown sugar to the pot.
Slowly melt and heat the mixture together over gentle heat, ensuring that it never reaches a boiling point. Maintaining a low heat level is crucial as it promotes the seamless blending of the ingredients, resulting in a luxuriously smooth consistency that enhances the overall texture of batter.
Add nuts and dried fruits to the melted liquid. For a variation in texture and taste, consider using a hand blender to puree plums and raisins. This will result in a smoother consistency. Alternatively, opt to keep the fruits roughly chopped to introduce delightful bursts of flavor and added texture to your dish.
In a large bowl, combine the rye, whole wheat, and bread flour thoroughly. Then, add in the aromatic spices along with baking soda and sea salt.
Pour the hot mixture over the flour in a steady stream. Next, add the milk along with a hint of brandy or vanilla essence, followed by the eggs. Combine all the ingredients using a Danish whisk initially, then, move the mixture onto a work table and knead the dough by hand until it reaches a smooth consistency. The resulting dough should be notably thick.
Place the prepared dough in the large clay pot with a tight-fitting lid, ensuring it is sealed properly. Allow the dough to rest and develop its flavors by storing it in the refrigerator for a minimum of 5 to 6 weeks. The extended maturation period will enhance the dough's texture and taste significantly, resulting in a more flavorful ginger cake.

Baking and folding instructions 6 days before Christmas Eve:

Remove the dough from the fridge and leave it on the kitchen counter for an hour to warm up.
Preheat the oven to 160°C or 320°F.
Divide the dough into four equal pieces. Next, gently roll out each piece between sheets of baking paper or on a floured surface to ensure the dough reaches a thickness of approximately 5 mm. Aim for each rolled-out piece to measure approximately 30 x 36 cm in dimensions.
Line the baking pans with parchment paper. Bake for about 15-18 minutes on the middle rack until gingerbread looks fluffy, doubled in size and brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. The dough will be soft at first, then hardens as it cools off.
Slightly heat up the plum butter and divide into three equal amounts of 200g each.
Divide marzipan into 3 equal pieces of 140g. Roll out each piece on the parchment paper that has been previously dusted with icing sugar. Form 3 rectangles 30 cm x 36 cm in size.
Take the first gingerbread slab and generously cover it with a layer of decadent plum butter, followed by a smooth marzipan sheet. Place the second slab on top, repeating the process with care to ensure even coverage of plum butter and delicate marzipan sheet. Repeat this process for a third layer, creating a lusciously stacked gingerbread creation.
Cover the ginger cake with parchment paper and wrap it with plastic wrap. Place heavy objects on top to press layers together. Leave it for 2 to 3 days in the fridge for flavors to merge.
After allowing the cake to sit for 2-3 days, carefully remove the wrapping from around it. Proceed by cutting the cake evenly into 4 separate cakes.
To prepare the chocolate glaze, start by gently melting the chocolate in a small bowl placed over simmering water, ensuring that no steam gets into the melted chocolate. Once melted, stir in the oil using a whisk and let it cool until it reaches a spreadable consistency. If you require additional glaze, simply prepare more as needed.
Pour the chocolate glaze over the top of each cake, ensuring it flows down the sides. Decorate the cakes with almond slices, chopped walnuts, or colorful marzipan pieces of your desire. Let these fine decorations set by leaving the cakes to dry for at least 6 hours.
Wrap each cake in the parchment paper, ensuring it is carefully sealed, and then store them in the designated cake containers. This method not only keeps the cakes fresh for an extended period but also enhances their presentation, making them an ideal choice for a thoughtful and delightful Christmas handmade gift.
Merry Christmas! Wesołych Świąt Bożego Narodzenia! Joyeux Noël! Fröhliche Weihnachten!

Nutrition facts as per 1 serving 🧡

Calories 270 | Fat 10 g \ Saturated Fat 4.1 g\ Cholesterol 23 mg\ Sodium 74 mg\ Total Carbohydrate 42.7g\ Dietary Fiber 1.6g\ Total Sugars 23.7g\ Protein 3.6 g \ Vitamin D 5 mcg\ Calcium 61 mg\ Iron 1 mg\ Potassium 159 mg

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