Piernik

Name: Piernik
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Polish
Ingredients: 3 cup all-purpose flour; 2/3 cup honey; 5 tbsp butter, softened; 2/3 cup brown sugar; 2 eggs; 2 tsp ground cinnamon; 0.5 tsp ground cloves; 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg; 1 tsp baking soda; 0.5 tsp salt; 2/3 cup hot water

A spiced Polish gingerbread cake, moist and aromatic with cinnamon, cloves, and honey. This time-honored treat is traditionally served with tea and improves with age.

70 minMediumServes 12265 cal/serving

PolishDessertOvenVegetarian

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Ingredients

3 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup honey
5 tbsp butter, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp ground cinnamon
0.5 tsp ground cloves
0.5 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda
0.5 tsp salt
2/3 cup hot water

Instructions

1

Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9-inch cake pan.
2

Warm 2/3 cup honey and 5 tbsp softened butter together until melted, then let cool slightly.
3

In a bowl, whisk together 3 cup all-purpose flour, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, 0.5 tsp ground cloves, 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg, 1 tsp baking soda, and 0.5 tsp salt.
4

Beat 2/3 cup brown sugar and 2 eggs together until pale, about 2 minutes.
5

Stir the honey mixture into the egg mixture.
6

Alternate adding the dry ingredients and 2/3 cup hot water to the wet mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
7

Pour batter into prepared pan.
8

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
9

Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

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Questions

What is Piernik?

A spiced Polish gingerbread cake, moist and aromatic with cinnamon, cloves, and honey. This time-honored treat is traditionally served with tea and improves with age. This reference files it under Polish dessert: made in the oven, rated medium and about 70 minutes start to finish.

What temperature do I cook Piernik at?

For Piernik, the oven is set to 350 F (about 175 C) in step 1. The longest stretch at that heat is 50 minutes, in step 8.

Why does Piernik say not to overmix?

Step 6 reads: "Mix until just combined." Stirring develops gluten, and gluten makes quick batters tough and tunneled. Stop at step 6 while a few streaks of flour remain; they hydrate on their own.

Can I make Piernik dairy-free?

Yes. The dairy in Piernik is 5 tbsp butter, softened. Swap the butter for olive oil where it melts, or a plant-based block butter where it is creamed. The richness shifts slightly, but the method does not change.

Can I make Piernik gluten-free?

Yes. The gluten in Piernik is 3 cup all-purpose flour. Swap the flour for a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking blend (where it only thickens a sauce, half as much cornstarch also works). Everything else proceeds as written.

Serve it with

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