Spiced Gingerbread
A richly spiced traditional gingerbread made with treacle, butter, and a blend of warming spices including ginger, mace, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg. The cookies are brushed with egg white before baking for a glossy finish.
Ingredients
- 0.75 pound (340g or 1 cup) Treacle or dark molasses (Dark molasses can substitute for treacle)
- 1 whole Egg (Reserve white for brushing)
- 4 ounces (115g or 1/2 cup packed) Brown sugar (Moist sugar refers to brown sugar)
- 1 ounce (28g or 2 tablespoons) Ground ginger
- 0.25 ounce (7g or 1.5 teaspoons) Ground mace
- 0.25 ounce (7g or 1.5 teaspoons) Ground cloves
- 0.25 ounce (7g or 1.5 teaspoons) Ground allspice
- 0.25 ounce (7g or 1.5 teaspoons) Ground nutmeg
- 1 pound (450g or 2 cups) Butter, melted (Oiled butter refers to melted butter)
- 4 cups (approximately) All-purpose flour (Add gradually until stiff paste forms)
- 1 white Egg white (From the egg above, for brushing)
More recipes using Treacle
Instructions
- 1Separate the egg, reserving the white for later. In a large mixing bowl, combine the treacle, egg yolk, brown sugar, and melted butter. Mix well until thoroughly combined.
- 2Add the ground ginger, mace, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg to the wet mixture. Stir thoroughly to ensure all spices are evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
- 3Gradually add flour to the spiced mixture, stirring continuously, until a stiff paste forms. You may need slightly more or less than 4 cups depending on humidity. The dough should be firm and hold its shape.
- 4Divide the dough and shape into thick pieces, approximately 1/2 inch thick. You can form them into rounds, squares, or traditional gingerbread shapes. Place on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- 5Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C), which is a moderate oven temperature.
- 6Lightly beat the reserved egg white. Using a pastry brush, brush the top of each gingerbread piece with the egg white to create a glossy finish when baked.
- 7Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour, or until the gingerbread is firm to the touch and lightly browned. The egg white wash will create a shiny surface.
- 8Remove from oven and allow the gingerbread to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
