Piernik – Honey Spice Cake-2

Two months to Christmas and I am posting this recipe so you have time to prepare for then.

I have tried out several piernik – honey spice cake  recipes  & many of them have been dreadful!

But at last I have found one that I am happy to share – I would describe it as a sort of soft biscuit.

This is piernik staropolski (in the old Polish style) and is a recipe which takes time to make, as the mixture is left for several weeks before it is baked – (10 days is the absolute minimum). This maturing enhances the flavour of the spices.

I have been reading that some people make their dough even earlier say in September before they bake it

This piernik is baked for Święty Mikołaj – St Nicholas Day – December 6th and for  Wigilia – Christmas Eve – December 24th.

The science for this will be really interesting – I presume it is a slow fermentation that is taking place & the high honey/sugar content, low temperature & access to air prevents the dough from spoiling.

Ingredients

• 250ml runny honey
• 125g Trex™ **
• 230g granulated sugar
• 2 eggs – lightly beaten
• 550g plain flour (may need more)
• 2 teaspoons of mixed spices or piernik mix (ground cinnamon, cloves, cardamom in equal parts)
• large pinch of salt
• 1 & 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda
• 70 ml of warm milk
• 250g mixed dried fruit (raisins, peel, chopped dates and figs)

** The original recipe uses lard (pork fat) – I used Trex™ – a white solid vegetable fat.

Method

• Put the honey, sugar and Trex in a saucepan and heat gently, stirring the mixture till all the Trex is melted and the sugar dissolved.
• Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool.
• Mix the flour, salt & spices together.
• Add this to the honey mixture and mix together first with a wooden spoon.
• Add the beaten eggs to the mixture.
• Dissolve the baking soda in the milk and add this to the dough and mix till you have a thick dough.
• Knead this dough lightly for around 5 minutes (add more flour if the mixture is too wet).
• Add in the dried fruits and knead them in lightly.
• Form the dough into a ball.

• Place the dough in a glass or ceramic bowl – not a metal one.
• Cover with a linen or cotton cloth – tie the string around it to keep it covered.
• Do not use cling film – as air needs to circulate.
• You could use foil but you would need to prick in some air holes.

• Place in a cool place (mine was put into my cool cellar) for a minimum of 10 days and up to 4 weeks.
• I left mine for 2 weeks.
• Ensure that the dough will not pick up any unwanted flavours such as onions or garlic by carefully choosing the place you store it.

After resting

• Pre-heat the oven to GM2 – 150°C
• Grease and line a 2 baking tins – 22 x 33 cm.
• Take the ball of dough out of the bowl and cut it into two.
• Flatten each piece lightly and make into a rough rectangular shape – can use a rolling pin.
• Place this into the tim and with fingers push and press it into all the sides of the tin.
• You can use the blunt end of a rolling pin.
• Repeat for the other
• Bake for around  55 -65 minutes – checking after 40 minutes and covering with greaseproof paper if it is starting to burn.
• Leave the piernik to cool in the tin.
• When it is cold, wrap it loosely in greaseproof paper and then a clean linen tea towel and leave in a cool place for 2 -3 days.

To serve

• Cut each cake into two or three rectangles.
• Remove the crusts – optional.
• Dust with icing sugar or coat in chocolate melted with butter (40g butter : 100g dark chocolate).
• You can use a thin white icing semi glaze instead of the chocolate.
• You can store the piernik in an airtight tin – I think the chocolate coating helps to keep it longer.

Slices served on Queen Anne china tea plates.

 

 

 

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