Pierniczki (Traditional Polish Cookies with Honey and Spices)



INGREDIENTS:

4½-5 cups plain flour
1 cup ground almonds (about 100g)
400g mixed local honey
1 cup soft dark brown sugar
¼ bar unsalted butter (about 65g)
2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 pinch of ground black pepper - optional
½tsp ground nutmeg
more flour for working surface

For the decoration

300g chocolate, white and/or dark chocolate
150g almond flakes

EQUIPMENT:

baking tray lined with non-stick Teflon sheets or baking paper
baking paper for baked cookies
silicone brush
rolling pin
cookie cutters

METHOD:

Combine honey, sugar, butter and spices and heat over low fire until melted and bubbling. Leave aside to cool down a little bit. In a mixing bowl place baking soda, ground almonds, 4½ cups of flour and eggs, add also honey mixture and knead the dough. Stir in additional half a cup of flour if necessary. Dough should be soft but not very sticky. Roll on the floured surface to about ½ cm thick, cut out shapes with cookie cutters and place on baking trays lined with Teflon sheets or baking paper.  Bake in 200°C (392°F) for about 10 minutes or until golden brown. Place on baking paper and leave to cool down completely.

When cookies are cold, melt chocolate in a small saucepan or in a microwave. Brush with it cookies, sprinkle with almond flakes immediately and leave to cool down completely. Store in a cookie tin for a week or even two.

Taste the best after few days!

This recipe makes about 45 medium cookies.

Notes and reviews:

• Pierniczki came out almost the same like I remember from my childhood… only could be a little bit more spicier and a little darker (I will try to use darker honey next time), but kids loved them anyway.
• They were soft like they should, at least for the first 9 days… they did not survive longer.
• Some people compare pierniczki to ginger bread cookies but they are not the same thing, pierniczki have much softer texture and they are tasting more of clove and honey than ginger.

Recipe Source: http://www.coffeeandvanilla.com/?p=4622