Germans love ginger cookies. Here is a recipe for German Gingerbread Boys. While they are baking read about the history of gingerbread figures and houses.
My sister-in-law, Cheryl, is a fantastic baker and chef, who lived in Germany. She brought the following recipe back from Deutschland.
Gingerbread Boys
1/2C Shortening 3/4tsp Salt
1/2C Sugar 1/2tsp Soda
1/2C Dark Molasses 3/4tsp Ginger
1/4C Water 1/4tsp Nutmeg
2 1/2C All Purpose Flour 1/8tsp All Spice
Ginger figurine cookie cutter.
Mix cream shortening and sugar. Blend in molasses, water, flour, salt, soda, ginger, nutmeg, and all spice. Cover and chill 2-3 Hours. Roll dough 1/4in thick. Cut and place on ungreased baking sheet. Decorate with raisins and citron if desired. Bake 10-12 minutes at 3750. Immediately remove from baking sheet. Cool. The recipe makes three dozen or more, depending on cutter size.
Swedish nuns brought gingerbread to Germany in the 13th century. It was considered a cure for indigestion. The nuns decorated ginger biscuits like window panes. The first gingerbread man was served in the English court of Elizabeth I.
Germans bake two types of gingerbread: the soft version , like Gingerbread Boys; and the sturdier Lebkuchen for gingerbread houses. The elaborate houses align with German woodcraft traditions.
Christmas is not the only time to serve gingerbread figures. Decorate them with hearts on Valentine’s Day or with flowers during spring. Germans love the taste and they believe gingerbread stimulates romance.
So, run . . . run as fast as you can and get the ingredients for German Gingerbread Boys.
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Written by Mark F. Weber
I am an international business professor in Pittsford, NY who managed a business unit for a German company. My passion is family and friends, plus roaming the countryside on my road bicycle.