Mini Amaretti Gingerbread

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 400 g marzipan paste
• 50 g soft apricots, dried
• 125 g almonds, chopped
• 75 g amaretti biscuits
• ¼ tsp ammonium bicarbonate
• 1 tsp water, lukewarm
• 4 egg whites (size M)
• 200 g sugar
• 1 pinch of salt
• 3 tsp gingerbread spice
• 50 baking wafers (50 mm diameter)
• 100 g powdered sugar
• 3 tbsp orange juice
• 200 g dark chocolate coating
• possibly sugar decorations (sprinkles, pearls, etc.)

Instructions

Working time approx. 2 hours; Cooking/baking time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 2 hours 30 minutes

juicy gingerbread with marzipan, perfect for egg whites, for about 50 pieces

Makes about 50 gingerbread cookies. Coarsely grate the marzipan mixture into a mixing bowl using a grater (it works best if you let it freeze for 30 minutes beforehand). Finely crumble the amaretti biscuits using a food processor (with a food processor). Using the food processor, finely chop the soft apricots and chopped almonds until crumbly. Dissolve the ammonium chloride in lukewarm water and add it to the marzipan in the bowl along with the amaretti crumbs and the apricot-almond mixture. Add the egg whites, sugar, salt, and gingerbread spice, and mix everything with the whisk attachment of a hand mixer (or food processor) for 3 minutes until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a disposable piping bag (or freezer bag) and cut a 1.5 cm opening into the tip. Preheat the oven to 170°C fan/convection oven (190°C top and bottom heat). Arrange the wafers on baking sheets lined with baking paper (ideally no more than 20 wafers per sheet in 4 rows of 5 wafers each). Carefully pipe the gingerbread mixture onto them, spreading it evenly in a dome shape with a moistened knife if necessary. It’s even easier with a gingerbread mill or bell – no need for a piping bag. Bake the sheets one after the other on the middle rack for about 13-15 minutes each. In the meantime, mix the powdered sugar with the orange juice until you get a smooth, runny glaze. While the gingerbread is still hot (!), spread the icing onto half of the gingerbread (it’s best to use a fork or spoon to hold it in place, as the gingerbread will slide around on the sheet and be too hot to touch). Allow all gingerbread to cool completely. For the other half, roughly chop the chocolate coating and melt it over a water bath. Using a potato piercer, dip the uncoated gingerbread upside down into the chocolate coating (simply pierce the center of the wafer from the bottom) and decorate with sugar decorations if desired. Place on a baking sheet or wire rack lined with baking paper to dry (outside on the balcony or patio is the quickest way in winter temperatures). It’s best to store the gingerbread in an airtight plastic container rather than a tin to keep it moist. They will keep for at least four weeks. Chocolate glaze variation: You can also replace half of the chocolate coating with cake glaze (full-fat glaze). This way it stays shiny for longer and won’t tarnish. Personally, though, I prefer plain chocolate coating.