piernik

This Christmassy Polish-style Gingerbread Cake features heady notes from the allspice, clove, nutmeg and cinnamon; and depth of sweetness from honey. A Festive classic!

Piernik Staropolski: Polish Gingerbread Cake (Matured Christmas Cake)

(360 g) brown sugar

(230-250 g) butter

eggs

baking soda

0.5 cup (120 ml) cold milk

(1 kg) all purpose flour

salt

10.5 oz (300 g) walnuts, ground

(200 g) sugar

whipping cream, 30%

½ lemon

tbsp alcohol (vodka, rum)

10-12 oz (280-340 g) damson jam

(115 g) sugar

water

(115 g) butter

cocoa powder, 100%

dried fruit, chopped / ground nuts or cake sprinkles

Prepare a 2 qt/2 litre cooking pot. Pour...

Prepare a 2 qt/2 litre cooking pot. Pour in the honey, add sugar and butter. Put on a really low heat and gradually bring to a near-boil, stirring continuously. Set aside to cool completely. [important!]

In a small glass, stir baking soda together...

In a small glass, stir baking soda together with milk, let it dissolve. Then, add it into the sugary mass.

Add in the eggs and stir them in....

Add in the eggs and stir them in. Add half a teaspoon of salt.

Add flour into the sugary mass gradually, kneading...

Add flour into the sugary mass gradually, kneading by hand or using a stand mixer (dough hook works well). The dough is dense and heavy, so make sure your equipment can take it.

When the dough is well kneaded, form a...

When the dough is well kneaded, form a dough ball and place it into a bowl (stoneware bowls are great for this, but any container will do). Initially the dough can feel a bit loose, but with time it will become denser as it matures.

Cover with a linen cloth and leave in...

Cover with a linen cloth and leave in a cool place. If you live in a warm climate, you can store it on the lower shelves of the fridge.

Divide the dough into 3 equal parts. Roll...

Divide the dough into 3 equal parts. Roll each part with a rolling pin - I do it directly on a piece of parchment paper, so I can transfer it easily into a baking pan later on. Aim for a thickness of roughly 0.4 inch (1 cm). If the dough is too sticky, sprinkle some flour on your worktop to ease the process. 

Preheat the oven to 360°F (180°C). Prepare 3...

Preheat the oven to 360°F (180°C). Prepare 3 large baking pans. Mine are rectangular, 10x16in (26x40cm), but you can choose a different shape or make more layers. If you don’t have so many equally sized baking pans, just use the one you’ve got and repeat the baking process 3 times.

Place rolled out dough into the baking pans,...

Place rolled out dough into the baking pans, place in the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 300°F (150°C). Bake for 15-20 minutes.

While waiting for the gingerbread layers to cool,...

While waiting for the gingerbread layers to cool, let’s start making the nutty filling. If you have whole walnuts, grind them now. 

Drop sugar, butter and cream into a cooking...

Drop sugar, butter and cream into a cooking pot, mix with a spoon and bring to a boil. Add ground nuts and blend them into the mass.

Set aside to cool, then transfer into the...

Set aside to cool, then transfer into the fridge. Once cold, whip the walnut cream with a hand mixer, gradually adding the juice of half a lemon and 2 tablespoons of alcohol.

Grab one baked gingerbread layer. Spread a generous...

Grab one baked gingerbread layer. Spread a generous amount of damson jam on top and cover with another cake layer. Spread the walnut cream and cover with a final piece of gingerbread.

Wrap the whole cake with an aluminum foil....

Wrap the whole cake with an aluminum foil. Store in a cool place (or alternatively - on the lower shelves of the fridge) for 3 days.

Place half a cup of sugar, 2 tablespoons...

Place half a cup of sugar, 2 tablespoons of water, one stick of butter and 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder into a small saucepan. Cook on a low heat for 5-7 minutes. Leave to cool, until the mass thickens. 

Unwrap the gingerbread cake. Cover it with chocolate...

Unwrap the gingerbread cake. Cover it with chocolate glazing. There is no right way to do it - I just pour it over and spread with a spoon. 

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Piernik Staropolski: Polish Gingerb...

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Piernik Staropolski: Polish Gingerb...

The most viewed piernik recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine