Swedish Gingerbread ('Pepparkakor') – recipe

Ingredients: 

• 3 dl water
• ½ dl molasses 
• 2 tbsp of ground cloves
• 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp ground ginger
• 2 tbsp bicarbonate of soda/baking soda
• 1/3 teaspoon salt
• 750 g of caster sugar 
• 425 g of room-temperature butter  
• 1.2 kg of wheat flour

Method:

1. Boil water, syrup, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, salt and bicarbonate of soda for a minute while stirring. Allow to stand for about 5 minutes. Beat butter and sugar in a mixer. Add the lukewarm spice liquid. Then, work in flour and work it all until you get a smooth, shiny dough. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate overnight, but preferably even longer (the dough may be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks, and the flavours will develop even more).
2. Heat the oven to 220°C (428°F). Remove the dough from the cold so it may get to room temperature before baking with it, when it's too cold, it's hard to bake with. Roll out the dough really thin on a clean surface dusted with flour and take out cakes with cookie cutters. Place on sheets covered with parchment paper and bake the gingerbread in the middle of the oven for about 5-7 minutes.
   

Recipe by Lisa Lemke