Turta dulce/ Gingerbread
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
I saw this gingerbread on the Maniac Chef blog and I had to do it because it was too advertised. He says that is tender and keep well in paper bags or boxes tightly closed. It is the first time I make gingerbread but not last, it came out very delicious and you can decorate it with your children for Santa!
Author:
Recipe type: desert
Cuisine: Romanian
Serves: 40
Ingredients
  • For approx. 40 pieces:
  • Dough:
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 200 grams sugar
  • 200 ml of milk
  • 200 grams sugar (caramelized and dissolved with 100 ml water)
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1tbsp. ammonia
  • 50 g lard / butter
  • 1 kg flour (or less, depending on how dry it is)
  • For the garnish:
  • 3 egg whites
  • 250 gr dusting sugar
  • 1 sachet vanilla sugar
Instructions
  1. Now I'll disagree a bit what Mr Maniac chef said, but not with everithing. He says that the dough must be prepared the night before because it's hard to work with, being a little sticky, you must refrigerate for several hours. I did exactly as he said, but I did not find the dough very sticky, it was good enough to roll it out when I finished kneading! I will say that depends on the flour, how dry it is. However, when I put in the refrigerator seemed very hard and very difficult to work with and I would want to be working with it when I finished kneading. But get over it, if you find it hard enough to roll it out and if is not not too sticky,then you can form the gingerbread after kneading, if not, chill it a few hours.
  2. We proceed like this:
  3. Put 200 g sugar in a thick-bottomed saucepan and caramelize until it gets a golden color - rust. Be careful not to burn it too hard!
  4. Take the saucepan from the heat and pour warm water over the caramelized sugar, all at once, protecting your face and stand as far away from the pan,because is gonna splash!
  5. Set aside to cool.
  6. In a separate bowl,mix yolks with 200 grams sugar until creamy (do not mix a lot, just enough to incorporate the sugar).
  7. Add lard or butter (room temperature) and then put the milk in a cup and dissolved ammonia in milk.
  8. Add the milk, cinnamon and flour gradually mixing at the beginning with a wooden spoon (or mixer) then knead it with your hands until the dough will get harder but it can be easily handled. Well, I used about. 900 gr flour, but if you think it needs a little bit more, you can add the rest of it, up to 1 kg.
  9. As I said above, if it doesn't sticks from your hands, you can work it out at this point (if not, refrigerate it for few hrs.) Dust the table with flour (not too much), cut pieces of dough and roll it out with with the rolling pin. It has to be 0.5 mm thickness (1/4 inch)
  10. Cut gingerbread shapes with a cookie cutter and bake them at medium heat approx. 10 minutes or until slightly browned. They should be soft in the middle when ready!
  11. After baking them all,you can play with the frosting made from egg whites:
  12. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Add the sugar and vanilla gradually mixing until you get a very glossy cream, like for marshmallows.
  13. Put the frosting in a plastic bag (not all) and cut the top (very little, just enough to take the corner). Ornate the gingerbread as you like then sprinkle with decorative glitter or coconut flakes. Place them in a tray to dry the frosting, then you can put in paper bags or boxes tightly closed.
  14. When you get tired of decorating, you can put the rest of the gingerbread in bowl with glaze, cover with a lid and shake them well. They will be coated in glaze all over. Place them on a plate and leave them at room temperature so that the glaze dry thoroughly. Those cakes that were entirely covered with glaze, preserved great, remained soft inside.
  15. The others were strengthened here and there but they became tender coming days, being kept in boxes.
  16. That said, I hope you will consider making gingerbread, even for the pleasure of the kids, who will love to be involved in decorating!
  17. Happy holidays!
Recipe by gabriela cuisine at http://gabrielacuisine.ro/turta-dulce-gingerbread/