Shortcrust Pastry and Gingerbread Cookies

I will provide you with the recipe for shortcrust pastry, which is the foundation for many types of cookies, and subsequently the one for gingerbread cookies, very popular especially during the Christmas season.

Shortcrust Pastry Recipe

Ingredients:

• 300 g of type 00 flour
• 150 g of cold butter, cut into small pieces
• 100 g of granulated sugar
• 1 whole egg and 1 yolk
• 1 pinch of salt
• Grated zest of half a lemon (optional)

Preparation:

1. On a pastry board, arrange the flour in a well and add the sugar, salt, grated lemon zest, whole egg, and yolk in the center.
2. Start mixing the ingredients from the center outwards, gradually incorporating the flour.
3. Add the cold butter in little pieces and quickly work the dough until it becomes a homogeneous mass.
4. Form a small loaf with the dough, wrap it in cling film, and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before using it.

Now, we will continue with the gingerbread cookies.

Gingerbread Cookies Recipe

Ingredients:

• 350 g of flour
• 80 g of butter
• 100 g of brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 4 tablespoons of acacia honey
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 2 teaspoons of ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cloves
• 1 pinch of nutmeg
• 1 pinch of salt

Preparation:

1. In a large bowl, mix the softened butter with the brown sugar.
2. Add the egg and honey and continue to mix until you obtain a homogeneous mixture.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and spices: ginger, cinnamon, ground cloves, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt.
4. Incorporate the dry ingredients into the mixture of butter, sugar, and eggs, working the dough until it becomes homogeneous.
5. Wrap the dough in cling film and let it rest in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
6. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin on a floured surface to a thickness of about 5 mm.
7. Cut out the cookies with your favorite cutters and transfer them to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
8. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 8-10 minutes or until the edges start to color slightly.
9. Allow to cool completely before serving.

Gingerbread cookies can be decorated with royal icing, colored sugars, or melted chocolate to make them even more attractive, especially during the holidays.

Curiosity

Gingerbread is a Christmas treat that is very popular in countries like Germany, the United States, and Great Britain. Tradition has it that these cookies are colorfully decorated and are associated with Christmas figures and themes. In some variations, gingerbread is enriched with candied fruits or nuts.