Gingerbread wreath & Christmas tradition 🌟🎅🌲

Oh the time flies so fast, I can’t believe it. Christmas are going to be here in a few weeks, actually to be exact in two weeks! I wish this exciting and delightful moment of Christmas would last forever. Yes, you must be guessing well, that I love Christmas!! It is the best time of year; this is how it goes in song! I am sure I am not the only one, who can’t wait for these songs to go on radio, all the stores changes in a Christmas wonderland…ah…I love Christmas!!!

So speaking about Christmas, I believe, that it is not only the cheerful season what makes it so special and merry, but also the traditions; family traditions you keep repeating every year. Now I wanted to tell you something about my (our) traditions we have in my family. I have been raised in Czech Republic and we have many beautiful traditions for Christmas, which are carried from family to family.  And we all share these traditions. For example one of the most common tradition to start Christmas season is Advent season and we celebrate it with Advent wreath.

ADVENT WREATH

The Advent wreath, or Advent crown, is known as Christian tradition, that symbolizes the passage of the four weeks of Advent in the liturgical calendar of the Western church. In most Eastern European countries, you may find this tradition in almost every household. Either you are religious or not. It became a tradition a very long time ago. So for Christmas, everyone is buying fresh made wreath from branches of spruce or pine, or are creative as me and you make your own gingerbread Advent wreath.

And if you feel like making your own, then you are on the best blog, because I will write down here the recipe how to bake the gingerbread, how to decorate it and how to assemble this beautiful Christmas wreath. It will be all up to you, what kind of shape of cookie cutter you will use, I would suggest Christmas motives as starts, Christmas boots, angels, etc. I do have a two little secret for this gingerbread recipe and it’s my mom, who gave it to me long time ago. If you want your gingerbread to last long soft and chewy, not hard as a rock, brush it off with warm water before putting in the oven. And if you want them to be nice shiny, brush them off with egg yolk as soon as you pick them up from the oven.

Recipe for Gingerbread cookies❤

INGREDIENTS:

• 560 g all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 360 g fine sugar
• 4 eggs
• 4 tbs honey
• 50 g softened butter
• 50 g grounded spices (cinnamon, cloves, all spice) or your favorite spice for gingerbread
• zest from one small lemon
• 1 egg yolk
• little bit of warm water

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F / 177 C.
2. Sift together the flour, baking soda, all spice, cloves, and cinnamon; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together butter, sugar, eggs, honey and lemon zest until smooth.
4. Add flour with baking soda; mix until the flour is blended.
5. Place the dough on working surface and kneed for 5 minutes with your hands, or until dough doesn’t stick.
6. If needed add flour or butter.
7. Cut out your preferred Christmas shape and place on baking sheet.
8. Brush off with warm water before putting in the oven.
9. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven.
10. Once you take out your gingerbread from oven brush it off with egg yolk. It will give  a nice shine to your gingerbread.
11. Let cool off and decorate with icing.

Icing❄

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 eggs white
• 3 cups of icing (confectioner) sugar

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Separate the eggs.
2. Start to beat the eggs on low-medium speed and increase the speed. Mix until soft peaks are former.
3. Add the sugar and mix on low-medium speed until the icing is smooth.
4. Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge. It is good for up to one week if kept in the fridge.

Folks, make sure you put all your love in this Christmas cookies and don’t forget to share with your loved once. Whether,  you decide to make a decoration from gingerbread cookies or just make them for an afternoon Christmas snack, it’s perfect either way! What counts is the effort you give and the willingness to share with others. You don’t need to be a millionaire to spread the love….let’s spread the love through baking!!💖😍 Have a wonderful Christmas season filled with joy, laughter and especially with peace!🕊🌲❄🎅

Don’t forget to check my video on Instagram or on Facebook, how to assemble the gingerbread wreath. Yours Julia Recipes 😍

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