Application
Malt Gingerbread Cookies with Dark Malt Extract
For 35-45 gingerbread cookies
Ingredients for preparation
- 450 g type 450 or 500 wheat flour
- 100 g butter
- 120 g honey
- 60 g dark malt extract
- 80 g cane sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons cocoa
- 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons gingerbread spice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- a pinch of salt
Preparation
- Place the butter, honey, sugar and dark malt extract in a saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until a uniform mixture forms. Do not bring the mixture to a vigorous boil.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and set the mixture aside for 10-15 minutes to cool slightly.
- Pour the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, gingerbread spice, cinnamon, ginger and, if desired, ground cloves into a large bowl.
- Pour the cooled honey-malt mixture into the dry ingredients.
- Add the egg and mix everything together, then knead into a smooth dough.
- If the dough is very sticky, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of flour. However, do not add too much, so that the gingerbread cookies do not become hard.
- Shape the dough into a ball, flatten it, wrap it in cling film and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Roll out the chilled dough to a thickness of about 4-5 mm.
- Cut out the gingerbread cookies with cookie cutters and arrange them on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
- Preheat the oven to 175°C.
- Bake the gingerbread cookies for 8-10 minutes, depending on their size. Smaller gingerbread cookies bake faster, while larger ones need slightly more time.
- After baking, leave the gingerbread cookies on the tray for 3-4 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack.
- Prepare the icing by mixing the icing sugar with the lemon juice. Add the juice gradually until you achieve a thick but fluid consistency.
- Decorate the cooled gingerbread cookies with the icing. You can add chopped nuts, orange zest or small sugar decorations.
- Once the icing has dried, place the gingerbread cookies in a tin or another airtight container.
Malt gingerbread cookies are best served with coffee, tea, hot chocolate or a hot fruit drink. Dark malt extract deepens the colour of the cookies and gives them a more complex character with a hint of lightly roasted caramel. The gingerbread cookies can be served as a homemade dessert, a sweet festive snack or an elegant addition to gift packages.