Open main menu
Home
Random
Recent changes
Special pages
Community portal
Preferences
About Wikipedia
Disclaimers
Incubator escapee wiki
Search
User menu
Talk
Dark mode
Contributions
Create account
Log in
Editing
Gingerbread
(section)
Warning:
You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you
log in
or
create an account
, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.
Anti-spam check. Do
not
fill this in!
=== Europe === {{More citations needed section|date=March 2025}} [[File:015 Christmas gingerbread cookies in Austria - Austrian Christmas food.jpg|thumb|Austrian Christmas star-shaped gingerbread cookies]]In Germany gingerbread is made in two forms: a soft form called [[Lebkuchen]] and a harder form, particularly associated with carnivals and street markets such as the Christmas markets that occur in many German towns. The hard gingerbread is made in decorative shapes, which are then further decorated with sweets and icing. The tradition of cutting gingerbread into shapes takes many other forms and exists in many countries, a well-known example being the [[gingerbread man]]. Traditionally, these were [[dunk (biscuit)|dunked]] in [[port wine]]. At [[Oktoberfest]] in [[Munich]], it is customary for men to buy large gingerbread cookies in the shape of a heart, with a ribbon for their sweetheart to wear around their neck. The cookies are iced with romantic phrases like "''{{Lang|de|Ich liebe dich}}''" (I love you). [[File:Wiesn-Herz.JPG|thumb|Gingerbread hearts from Oktoberfest]] In [[Ashkenazi Jews|Ashkenazi Jewish]] cuisine, the [[Lekach|honey cake]] eaten at [[Rosh Hashanah]] (New Year) closely resembles the Dutch ''peperkoek'' or the German ''Lebkuchen'', though it has wide regional variations. In [[Switzerland]], a gingerbread confection known as "biber" is typically a two-centimeter (approximately ¾ of an inch) thick rectangular gingerbread cake with a [[marzipan]] filling. The cantons of [[Appenzell]] and [[St. Gallen]] is famous for biber, which are artfully adorned with images of the Appenzell bear or the St. Gallen cathedral respectively by engraving or icing. In the [[Netherlands]] and [[Belgium]], a soft and crumbly gingerbread called ''[[peperkoek]]'', ''kruidkoek'' or ''ontbijtkoek'' is popularly served at breakfast time or during the day, thickly sliced and often topped with butter. In the [[Nordic countries|Nordic]] and [[Baltic states|Baltic]] countries, the most popular form of ginger confection is the ''pepperkaker'' ([[Norwegian language|Norwegian]]), ''pepparkakor'' ([[Swedish language|Swedish]]), ''peberkager'' ([[Danish language|Danish]]), ''piparkökur'' ([[Icelandic language|Icelandic]]), ''piparkakut'' ([[Finnish language|Finnish]]), ''piparkūkas'' ([[Latvian language|Latvian]]) or ''piparkoogid'' ([[Estonian language|Estonian]]). They are thin, brittle biscuits that are particularly associated with the extended Christmas period. In Norway and Sweden, pepperkaker/pepparkakor are also used as window decorations (the pepperkaker/pepparkakor are a little thicker than usual and are decorated with glaze and candy). Many families bake pepperkaker/pepparkakor/brunkager as a tradition.[[File:Тульский пряник.jpg|thumbnail|[[Tula pryanik|Tula gingerbread]]]]In [[Russia]], a gingerbread maker was first mentioned in [[Kazan]] cadastres in 1568.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Slovar' russkogo jazyka XI-XVII vv| publisher=Nauka |year=1995 |location=Moscow |page=31 |volume=21}}</ref> Gingerbread confections are called ''[[pryanik]]i'' (sg. ''pryanik''), derived from the Russian term for 'spices'. Historically three main centers of gingerbread production have developed in the cities of [[Vyazma]], [[Gorodets, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast|Gorodets]], and [[Tula, Russia|Tula]]. Gingerbreads from [[Tver]], [[Saint Petersburg]], and [[Moscow]] were also well known in the [[Russian Empire]]. A classic Russian gingerbread is made with rye flour, honey, sugar, butter, eggs and various spices; it has an embossed ornament or text on the front side with [[royal icing]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.the-village.ru/village/food/chief-at-home/120527-maksim-syrnikov-pryaniki-i-sbiten|title=Chef doma: Pryaniki i sbiten' Maksima Syrnikova|date=14 December 2012|access-date=11 December 2015 |publisher=The Village}}</ref> A Russian gingerbread can also be shaped in various forms and stuffed with [[Fruit preserves|varenje]] and other sweet fillings.[[File:PL gingerbread from Torun.jpg|thumb|Traditional [[Toruń gingerbread]]]]In [[Poland]], gingerbreads are known as ''pierniki'' (singular: piernik). Some cities have traditional regional styles. [[Toruń gingerbread]] (''piernik toruński'') is a traditional Polish gingerbread that has been produced since the Middle Ages in the city of Toruń. It was a favorite delicacy of [[Frédéric Chopin|Chopin]] when he visited his godfather, [[Fryderyk Florian Skarbek]], in Toruń during school vacation. Kraków gingerbread is the traditional style of the former Polish capital. In the [[Czech Republic]], gingerbread is called ''{{Lang|cs|perník}}'' and it is a popular Christmas biscuit and a decoration. Common shapes include hearts, stars and animals and [[gingerbread house]]s are also popular. Towns associated with ''{{Lang|cs|perník}}'' include [[Pardubice]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pardubickypernik.cz/ |title = Úvodní stránka}}</ref> and [[Miletín]]. In [[Romania]], gingerbread is called ''turtă dulce'' and usually has sugar glazing. A variety of gingerbread in [[Bulgaria]] is known as ''меденка'' ("made of honey"). Traditionally the cookie is as big as the palm of a hand, round and flat, and with a thin layer of chocolate. Other common ingredients include honey, cinnamon, ginger, and dried clove. [[File:Mykolajchyky-2005-1.jpg|thumb|Ukrainian Mykolajchyky]] [[File:Ukrainian Christmas pink gingerbread.jpg|thumb|Ukrainian Panyanky]] In [[Ukraine]], ''[[medivnyk]]'' ("made of honey") means either dry honey cookie (a ''[[pryanik|prianyk]]'', also called ''medyanyk'') or a spongy honey cake (a fruitcake). ''Mykolaychyky'' are traditional Western Ukrainian cookies or gingerbread that are baked for St. Nicholas Day and given to children.<ref>[https://shuba.life/ru/recipes/17047-medovye-nikolajchiki-k-prazdniku-klassicheskij-recept-ot-darii-cvek Медовые николайчики к празднику — классический рецепт]</ref><ref>[https://parafia.org.ua/mediateka/fotogalereya/mykolajchyky/ Миколайчики]</ref> ''Panyanky'' usually baked for Christmass eve in Eastern Ukraine. They are pink because they are colored with beet juice.<ref>[https://www.okhtyrka.net/content/view/9658/236/ Від Різдва до Маланки]</ref>
Edit summary
(Briefly describe your changes)
By publishing changes, you agree to the
Terms of Use
, and you irrevocably agree to release your contribution under the
CC BY-SA 4.0 License
and the
GFDL
. You agree that a hyperlink or URL is sufficient attribution under the Creative Commons license.
Cancel
Editing help
(opens in new window)