Gingerbread, whether shaped like little men or frosted together to make cute little houses, has been a Christmas treat for hundreds of years. Learn more about the gingerbread we know today and try out these 5 beautifully-spiced recipes.
Gingerbread
[jin·jer·bred] • Middle English(n.) a kind of biscuit, cake or pudding flavoured with ginger and other spices.
Gingerbread is an umbrella term for baked goods that are predominately flavoured with ginger and other warm spices, usually anise, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Sweetened with either sugar or molasses, gingerbread comes in the form of gingersnaps biscuits, gingerbread men and houses, moist cakes and sweet breads.
From the Old French gingebras, meaning preserved ginger, gingerbread has a long history in France, Germany, Sweden and England. It became so popular that government-sanctioned bakers’ guilds had dedicated gingerbread makers, and many European countries held gingerbread festivals, where the shape of the gingerbread biscuits changed depending on the season.
You can still find heart-shaped gingerbread biscuits across German fairs and Christmas markets to this day. They’re decorated with sweets and icing that usually spell out messages of endearment meant for the recipient, who can even wear the gingerbread heart around their neck, if they’re into that sort of thing!
Cutting gingerbread into shapes is popular in many countries, including the famous gingerbread man. Credited to Queen Elizabeth I, it’s said that visiting dignitaries were gifted with gingerbread men decorated in their own likeness.
Gingerbread found its way to America through European settlers. But they found sugar to be too expensive, and started using molasses to sweeten the gingerbread, resulting in a softer, cakey type of gingerbread, as opposed to the more common European biscuit made with sugar.
Though no expense was spared during seasons of celebrations; sugar was sourced so that early German settlers could continue the tradition of building gingerbread houses. Believed to have been inspired by the Brothers Grimm fairy tale, Hansel and Gretel, building and decorating gingerbread houses, with sweets, icing and gold leaf, became a popular pastime linked to the holidays.
And now that you know a little something more about gingerbread, try some of these recipes as a Christmas treat:
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Lebkuchen Hearts
These traditional German gingerbread hearts are a fun way to tell someone you’re thinking about them. And they get a tasty treat!
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Gingerbread Men
Looking to bake a more traditional shape? Look no further than the gingerbread man!
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Gingerbread House
Have more time? Make a gingerbread house! Make a day of it and construct it with some friends and family.
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Santa’s Train Station
Looking to make something a little different? Try out Briony’s take on the gingerbread house, which includes a fun and festive train.
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Gingerbread
Or if you just want something warmly spiced and comforting, bake up some old-fashioned gingerbread with molasses.
Whether you’re making gingerbread these holidays or not, happy baking!
