Gingerbread is a confectionery product, the taste of which is familiar to us from childhood. And how many types of them exist: honey, nuts, chocolate, gingerbread cookies with cinnamon, honey, painted well, and, of course, Tula gingerbread cookies.
Types of Gingerbread
Painted gingerbread is a flour confectionery product made from a special gingerbread dough with the addition of jam, honey, jam, nuts, candied fruits and other sweets. Few people know that gingerbread arose a very long time ago, but in many countries it is this type of sweetness that symbolizes celebration, happiness.
The first mention of it appeared in Russia back in the 9th century. And they began to call it gingerbread after they began to use various spices for cooking.
The shape of this product is flat, it can be round, oval or square in shape, but with the obligatory application of a special pattern on it.
There are several types of gingerbread:
- Printed using special gingerbread boards. As a rule, apple or pear wood was used for their manufacture. To do this, it was thoroughly dried, and only then craftsmen and craftsmen applied their skillful drawing to it. Moreover, this was a very difficult and responsible procedure. The drawings were various, from simple with congratulatory inscriptions to complex in the form of angels, animals, nesting dolls.
- The carrot is stucco. They could be blinded manually.
- Gingerbread silhouette, the so-called royal gingerbread. He was distinguished by special beauty, shape and painting using various elements, such as gold leaf, feathers.
Tula gingerbread cookies
No gingerbread in the world can be compared with Tula. His recipe was carefully guarded for a long time and passed strictly by inheritance from generation to generation and only to sons.
Tula confectioners were famous all over the world for the quality and taste of their gingerbread. Even special fairs were organized in St. Petersburg, where Tula masters had the opportunity to present their next masterpiece.
It was in this city that the gingerbread was painted, filled with filling, of an unusual shape, honey and custard.
Confectioners around the world claim that the main secret of the Tula gingerbread is the proper matching of flour and water. However, the craftsmen insist that the main secret is to cook it on Tula land, from Tula flour, enriched with delicious Tula air.
For any holiday, it was prestigious to present the present Tula painted gingerbread as a gift as a gift.
More recently, a gingerbread museum opened in Tula. Despite its small age, the museum is already very popular among tourists.
Tula gingerbread recipe
You can try to cook Tula gingerbread at home. This recipe is designed to make gingerbread with filling. To do this, you will need:
- 100 grams of butter or margarine;
- 1 cup of sugar;
- 2 tablespoons of honey;
- half a glass of milk;
- 1 teaspoon of soda;
- half a teaspoon of cinnamon;
- 1 egg
- jam or jam;
- 3.5 cups sifted flour;
- ground ginger and a pinch of black pepper.
To knead the dough, you need to melt the margarine, and beat the protein from one egg with a whisk. Mix all the remaining ingredients and pour in the protein, then the ghee. Knead elastic dough. Then roll one half of it 6-7 mm thick. Put on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Lubricate with your favorite jam, and top with the remaining dough. You can cut out various figures or flowers from the rest of the dough using ordinary molds. Grease on top with yolk. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes at a temperature of 180 degrees. The royal gingerbread is ready.
Gingerbread list: types
Painted gingerbread is not only a delicious confectionery product, but also an item that can be used to decorate a whole art.
Today, there are as many types of gingerbread decorations as there are bakers. The cream recipe may be the most unique, but basically they are all made on the basis of glaze.
The technique of decorating the gingerbread can be the most common: simply applying an even layer of sweet glaze to the entire surface of the gingerbread. It is noteworthy that it should be applied only after the gingerbread itself has cooled well, otherwise the sugar used for the glaze can simply melt and flow.
The next type of gingerbread decoration and painting is the application of carved figures from gingerbread dough to it. To glue the gingerbread with the decoration, it is necessary to thoroughly grease its still moist base with egg yolk, and then put the decoration on top of it, which also grease.
Art painting. It will already require imagination and the availability of skills. If you do not know how to draw, then you can get out of the situation in a simple way: prepare the glaze of different colors. To do this, it is still hot to add food colors to achieve the desired color. Again - the icing should be applied to the cooled gingerbread.
Gingerbread icing recipe
Preparing the icing is very easy. For this we need:
- Powdered sugar, if it is not, then ordinary sugar will have to be ground in a coffee grinder.
- Protein from one egg.
Mix powdered sugar with protein from an egg in a ratio of 250 grams of powdered 1 protein. If the glaze is liquid, then add more powder, if thick, then you can add a little water. But do not overdo it - we do not need syrup.
If you have a successful glaze consistency, you need to immediately transfer it to a bag or pastry bag and start decorating the gingerbread cookies as you wish.
This type of glaze can be used both for filling the gingerbread and for painting it. Important tip: if the glaze is too much, then it is recommended to store it before use under a damp towel, otherwise it will dry out.
If in the process of applying to the gingerbread air bubbles form, then just take a toothpick and pierce them. Painted gingerbread is a whole heritage, it is a tradition that has been transmitted for centuries. Bake gingerbread cookies - it is always a holiday, fun and joy!