Estonian gingerbread

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 300 g sugar
• 150 g boiling water
• 150 g butter, cold
• 5 tsp gingerbread spice
• 1 tsp vinegar
• 1 tbsp, heaped sour cream
• 1 egg(s), size M
• 450 g wheat flour type 405
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp, levelled black pepper, freshly ground

Instructions

Working time approx. 45 minutes; Rest time approx. 12 hours; Cooking/baking time approx. 40 minutes; Total time approx. 13 hours 25 minutes

A very old recipe from Estonia. No honey.

Caramelize the sugar in a large saucepan until it turns brown. Stir well with a wooden spoon. Do not use a plastic or metal spoon. Add the boiling water (careful: it will steam and splash!). Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the butter, and dissolve the sugar until there are no more lumps. Let it cool until lukewarm. Stir in the eggs, gingerbread spice, cream, and vinegar. Let it cool completely. Sift the flour with baking soda, salt, and pepper, add to the sugar mixture, and mix with a wooden spoon until a dough forms. This will be very soft and sticky. Don’t panic, that’s normal. Cover the dough and refrigerate until the next day. It will now be well-cured, a little firmer, and no longer sticky. Roll out on a floured surface to a thickness of about 3 mm, cut out shapes, or use a roller to shape the dough, and place them on baking sheets lined with parchment paper, not too close together. You will need 3 sheets. Optionally, decorate with almonds or nuts. Preheat oven to 180°C (top/bottom heat) and bake the gingerbread cookies one at a time in the upper oven for 10-12 minutes. Let cool on wire racks.