How Does Sugar Act as a Preservative in Gingerbread Making?
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You Mean Sugar Does More Than Taste Good?
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That delicious concoction we know as gingerbread has the sweet taste of sugar and molasses. Yes, these ingredients add to the wonderful flavor, but they also help the gingerbread retain its moisture so it doesn't get stale too fast. That is how sugar acts as a preservative. And that's why traditional gingerbread men and gingerbread houses--inspired long ago by the distinctive German decorated Christmas cookies called lebkuchen--keep until Christmas.
How Long Will Gingerbread Stay Fresh?
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Make your gingerbread men with sugar and molasses, then store them in a cookie tin or sealed storage container. They will keep for 2 to 3 weeks--and some say they taste even better after sitting. Molasses, honey, maple syrup and, of course, sugar are simple sugars used to make any cake or pastry (not just gingerbread) stay moist.
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But What If I Want It to Get Stale?
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If you are making a gingerbread house, you actually need the gingerbread to get a little stale. Because of the sugar, it might stay too fresh too long. So after you bake the gingerbread walls and other sections, take them off the cookie sheet before they cool, so you can trim them to size. Then leave them out for a couple of days. If they are not stiff by then, put them back in the oven on a cooling sheet at 250 degrees for 1 hour. Then they'll be ready for your gingerbread house-building project.
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Resources
- Photo Credit Elise's gingerbread men (see Resources)
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Comments
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blabbergirl
Dec 25, 2008
I remember a gingerbread cake from my childhood-- as the best thing I ever tasted, before or since. But I love gingerbread men too, especially biting bits and parts one at a time.
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blabbergirl
Dec 25, 2008
I remember a gingerbread cake from my childhood-- as the best thing I ever tasted, before or since. But I love gingerbread men too, especially biting bits and parts one at a time.
