Gingerbread Recipes

Gingerbread originated in Europe during medieval times and has existed in many forms since then. Some cooks swear gingerbread is a cookie, while others swear it's a soft, moist cake. Still others think it's something in between. In actuality, it can be all those things. Basically, gingerbread is simply a batter or dough flavored with a variety of tasty spices. In medieval times, gingerbread simply meant preserved ginger, which is the predominant spice used in gingerbread. Later, it came to mean a dense, rich cake flavored with molasses and spices.

It wasn't until the 1800s that creating houses out of gingerbread became popular. One of the first writings about houses made of cake and candies was in "Hansel and Gretel", a fairy tale by the Grimm Brothers. Today, making gingerbread houses has become an art form in America. There is even a national gingerbread house competition held every year in Asheville, N.C., at the Grove Park Inn.

Gingerbread Tips

American cooks tend to add fewer spices to their gingerbreads than European cooks. Adding maple syrup as a sweetener will give your bread a truly New England Christmas taste! Did you know ginger acts as a preservative? That may be one reason why medieval cooks added it to their recipes. For a real kick that will keep people guessing about your gingerbread, add a scant teaspoon of cayenne pepper to the recipe.

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