Katarzynki Polish Gingerbread Cookies Recipes

RUSSIAN GINGERBREAD COOKIES (PRYANIKI)

Steps:

• Cookies: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, nutmeg, cardamom, and cloves.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in honey and egg. With mixer on low, add flour mixture; mix just until a dough forms. Dough will be soft. Divide dough in half, wrap each half in plastic, and pat into rectangles. Refrigerate until firm, 1 to 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line three rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Working quickly with one rectangle at a time, roll out dough 1/4 inch thick on a well-floured surface, turning, lifting, and flouring dough (and rolling pin) as needed. Using a 2 1/2-inch round cutter, cut out rounds and transfer to prepared sheets. Brush off excess flour; freeze until firm, 1 hour. Repeat process with remaining dough.
• Top half the rounds with 1 teaspoon each plum jam. Brush edge of dough lightly with water, then top with another dough round and press edges together to seal. Reshape each cookie into a neat circle, if necessary, on sheets, spaced 2 inches apart. Bake until puffed and dry, 14 to 16 minutes. Let cool completely on sheets.
• Glaze: Whisk together confectioners' sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Dip the top of each cookie in glaze, then transfer to a wire rack until glaze is set, 1 hour. Glazed cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days.

KATARZYNKI - POLISH GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. Preheat oven to 350F.
• Heat honey in a saucepan until it begins to boil. Turn off heat.
• Beat together the egg and sugar until thick.
• Pour in honey while mixing until smooth.
• Fold dry ingredients into the egg, honey, and sugar mixture; don't over-mix. (Start to fold with a spoon and then fold by hand until just combined.)
• Turn out gently on a floured surface. Roll out to 1cm thickness.
• Cut into desired shapes.
• Bake 12 - 15 minutes until darker color develops.
• Set aside and allow to cool before dipping into chocolate.
• While cooling, set up a double-boiler system on the stove. (I just use a pot of boiling water and set another small rounded-bottom pot like a mini-wok type thing on top of it). Melt butter and chocolate in the pot. Stir to combine.
• Use tongs to dip cookies in.
• Set cookies on a wire rack to cool.
• Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar if you'd like and a nice tall glass of milk. Yum.