It’s not Christmas until someone makes gingerbread. Gingerbread cookies, gingerbread houses, gingerbread cake.
Now forget everything you know about that gingerbread, because this yummy yeasted gingerbread is not your fairytale gingerbread. Today’s bread in my 12 Breads of Christmas series is a hearty, spicy gingerbread that begs to be eaten with turkey or chicken, cream cheese or mayonnaise, or just toasted with butter and honey. Imagine French toast made with a thick slice of gingerbread, layered with pure maple syrup and whipped cream. Maybe a sprinkle of shaved orange peel on that whipped cream. This gingerbread is that kind of gingerbread.
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Ingredients
Preheat oven to 375°F about 15 minutes before placing bread into oven.
3/4 c warm milk
3 tsp butter, softened
1/4 c molasses
3 c white bread flour
1/3 c brown sugar
2 tbl ground cinnamon
2 tbl ground ginger
1 1/2 tbl dry active yeast (not quick acting)
tsp salt
¼ tsp ground cloves
Instructions
- Warm milk in microwave or on stovetop, being careful not to overheat. Optimum temperature is between 105-110°F for yeast to activate. (If you’re using a bread machine, you can skip this step, as the bread machine will heat the dough to activate yeast.)
- Add milk to remaining ingredients in the order listed, either in a bread machine, stand mixer, or a large baking bowl. Knead dough for about 10 minutes (or complete dough cycle in bread machine). Dough will be smooth, glossy and elastic.
- Let dough rest in a lightly greased bowl, covered loosely with a cloth, for about 60 minutes, or until the dough roughly doubles in size.
- Remove dough to countertop and deflate. Shape the dough into a roll for a baguette shape, or a ball for a boule. Place the shaped dough on a piece of parchment paper and let rise for another 60 to 90 minutes. You can also bake the bread in a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. The dough will nearly double in size.
- Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until bread has an temperature of 200°F. The loaf will have a hollow feeling when thumped on the base.
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