Pryaniki

In looking back, I first discovered molded cookies several years ago. I got into it because I was struck by two things. First was the beautifully intricate patterns that they’re often made with. The second was the texture. Because of the intricacy of the patterns, they’re often thick and soft on the inside, which is my preferred texture for cookies.

Molded cookies are a diverse and regional treat, and there are different variations depending upon where you are in the world. For instance, there are the German Springerle, the Dutch Speculaas, and Middle Eastern Ma’amoul cookies. And then, the Russians have a treat that they call Pryaniki.

Pryaniki are a type of gingerbread cookie/cake that are made with (of course) ginger, a medley of other spices, butter, egg and honey. They’re also typically brushed with a thin white sugar glaze. Their name comes from the Russian word ‘pryany’ which means ‘spicy’. Historically, they can be traced back all the way to the IX century where they were used as special gifts, and calling cards of sorts meant to communicate messages.

Their thick and sturdy texture made them ideal for exchange, as well as for stuffing with a number of different types of fillings such as jam, fruit paste, nuts or chocolate. I’ve had my eye on Pryaniki for a number of years now, but I kept putting it off, mainly because I wanted to have a traditional wood mold with which I could make one that was big/thick enough to be stuffed.

Well, this year I finally stopped making excuses and decided to buy myself a real hand-carved wood mold, all the way from Ukraine. It arrived just in time for my baking spree for the 12 Days of Christmas, and I got down to work.

You guys, I was so impressed and pleased with how these turned out. The dough was very easy to put together, it fit and came out of the mold very easily, and the intricate designs held even after baking and icing. Don’t be alarmed if they seem a little dry when they’re first baked; they soften over time and the flavor of the spices enhances, so these are actually best eaten 1 or 2 days afterwards.

We’re three days into the 12 Days of Christmas, so if you haven’t already be sure to check out the first two days of recipes below!

Day 1: Holiday Style- Biscuits & Gravy

Day 2: Cranberry Pie Bars

Day 3: Pryaniki

Pryaniki

Recipe Adapted from Natassja Can Cook

Ingredients

For “Dry Perfume” mix:

1 tsp ground Coriander
1 tsp ground Cinnamon
1 tsp ground Cardamom
1 tsp ground Ginger
1 tsp ground Cloves
1 tsp ground Nutmeg
2 tsp Cocoa Powder

For “Pryaniki” dough:

100g Whole Wheat Flour
500g Plain(All-Purpose) Flour
1 egg
100g Butter
400g Honey
1 tsp Baking Powder
About 2/3 cup of your choice of filling, optional (I used this cranberry clementine sauce)

For Sugar Glaze:

150g sugar
50g water

Directions

In a large bowl, sift and stir the two flours together. Take out 3-4 tablespoons of flour mix and set aside.

Add sifted spices to the remaining flour mix, and set aside.

In a small saucepan, heat honey and butter for about 5 minutes, (until it reaches about 185 degrees Fahrenheit).

Take off the heat and let cool for 5 minutes (until it comes down to about 175 degrees F).

Add egg to the flour mix and mix well.

Add honey mix to flour mix, mix it well and let rest for 5 minutes.

Gradually add reserved flour to dough and mix until consistency is like a “play dough'” and when you pull out a little piece of dough, it does not break. (You may not need to use all of it)

Let dough rest for 20 minutes.

Prepare wood mold by brushing them with cooking oil or dusting with powdered sugar. (note: you must do this step EVERY TIME you make a new cookie if you do not want the dough to tear/stick to the mold.)

Mold your Pryaniki: If you’re using a filling, press the bottom layer into the mold first, creating an indent in the center, then add about 1 teaspoon of filling. Pinch off about a tablespoon of dough and flatten it out into a disc, then gently press the disc over the bottom of the cookie, being sure to seal the edges as best you can.

(If the dough feels a bit dry as you’re shaping/molding, a tip I follow is to smooth a thin layer of oil on my hands–olive, vegetable or canola– and gently massage it until it feels softer/more pliable)

Gently turn/tap the pryaniki out of the mold and place them on a cookie tray you’ve lined with parchment paper.

Place the pan of cookies in the freezer for 15-20 minutes

Bake at 425°F(220°C) on the middle rack for 8-10 min.* (Note: no one oven is the same, & different baking sheets bake cookies differently. Keeping this in mind, I will ALWAYS test bake one cookie before baking entire sheets of the whole batch, just to get a good idea of how long they should be in the oven and if I need to adjust the way I’ve cut, rolled them out, etc. I highly recommend that you do the same.)

Pryaniki will still be soft. Cool them completely before glazing with sugar glaze.

For Sugar Glaze:

In a small saucepan, add sugar and water and bring to a boil. Boil for about 5 min (until it reaches 220 degreed F)

Let your glaze cool down a little bit ( to 180 degrees F), just 3-5 minutes.

Glaze pryaniki on both side with sugar glaze.

Keep them on a cooling rack until sugar glaze is set, looks very glossy and with some white shadows