Gingerbread was brought to Europe in 992 by the Armenian monk Gregory of Nicopolis (Gregory Makar) (Grégoire de Nicopolis). He left Nicopolis Pompeii, to live in Bondaroy (France), near the town of Pithiviers. He stayed there for seven years, and taught gingerbread baking to French Christians. He died in 999.
During the 13th century, gingerbread was brought to Sweden by German immigrants. In 15th century Germany, a gingerbread guild controlled production. Early references from the Vadstena Abbey show how the Swedish nuns were baking gingerbread to ease indigestion in 1444. It was the custom to bake white biscuits and paint them as window decorations.
The first documented trade of gingerbread biscuits dates to the 17th century, where they were sold in monasteries, pharmacies and town square farmers' markets. In Medieval England gingerbread was thought to have medicinal properties.One hundred years later the town of Market Drayton in Shropshire, UK became known for its gingerbread, as is proudly displayed on their town's welcome sign. The first recorded mention of gingerbread being baked in the town dates back to 1793; however, it was probably made earlier, as ginger was stocked in high street businesses from the 1640s. Gingerbread became widely available in the 18th century.
Ingredients
- • 1 1/2 cups brown rice flour
- 1/4 cup tapioca starch
- 1/2 cup potato starch (not flour)
- • 3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
- • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- • 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- • 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
- • 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- • 1/4 cup blackstrap molasses
- • 1/3 cup coconut oil
- • 2-4 tablespoons milk substitute ( or milk)
- • 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
- • 2-3 tablespoons milk substitute (or milk )
- • Squeeze of lemon
Icing for Gingerbread
Instructions
- The oil/fat should be solid and at cool room temperature.
- 1. Place the first eight dry ingredients in the bowl of your mixer with the paddle attachment. Pulse to combine.
- 2. Add the molasses and oil and mix on medium-low until you have a damp, sandy mixture.( about 60 seconds).
- 3. Starting with 2 tablespoons, add the milk substitute and mix on low speed until a dough forms. If the dough doesn't come together use the remaining 2 tablespoons of milk.
- 4. Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and press into a disk shape. Place in refrigerator for 1 hour or overnight.
- 5. Working with small portions (keep the unused dough wrapped and chilled), roll out the dough between two sheets of plastic wrap to 1/8" thickness.
- 6. Cut out desired shapes and carefully transfer by using a very thin spatula dipped in a bit of gluten-free flour
- 7. Place cookies on greased cookie sheet and bake in the center of a preheated 350 degree F oven for 8-10 minutes depending on the size and thickness of your cookies.
- 8. Cool on sheet pan for about five minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.
