gingerbread

Ingredients

• a glass of milk
• 6 tablespoons of baking soda
• 4 cups + 4 tablespoons of sugar
• A cup of freshly ground coffee, properly brewed.
• half a kilo of butter or fat (or a mixture of butter and fat, in equal parts)
• one kilogram of wheat honey
• one kilogram of wheat flour
• chili peppers
• ginger
• cardamom
• cinnamon
• nutmeg seed
• angelica
• lavender
• black pepper
• One bay leaf
• a pinch of salt
• 2 glasses of brandy
• a cup of chopped walnuts
• half a teaspoon of finely grated orange zest
• 6 eggs
• Possibly, 2 to 3 tablespoons of cocoa

Soak the baking powder in milk.

Prepare a caramel using 4 tablespoons of sugar, then mix it with coffee.

In a large saucepan, melt the sugar to create caramel, then mix in the fat and flour. Heat slowly (making sure not to let it boil), stirring constantly, until the caramel thickens.

Sift the flour into a large, enameled pot.

Add the ground or crushed spices to the mortar (about 2-4 tablespoons, with a preference for cinnamon and ginger), a pinch of salt, and optionally some cocoa powder, then mix well.

Mix the honey with the heat, then slowly add the alcohol.

Next, pour the mixture over the flour, and mix thoroughly (preferably with a sifting spoon), starting from the bottom.

Add the baking soda, walnuts, orange pulp, eggs, and mix thoroughly (knead vigorously on a clean surface, then with your hands).

Sprinkle with flour, cover with several dishcloths, and leave to rest for 3 to 4 weeks in a cool place.

Place the dough in a rectangular baking dish, brush with an egg yolk, and then bake in a preheated oven for 25 to 35 minutes.

The dough should reach a thickness of 2.5 cm.

Prepare a few (for example, three) of these pancakes, topping them with cherry jam (a classic option) or walnut spread.

Place them between two pieces of wood, inside a large plastic bag, and transport them to a cool location.

Firmly compress them (six volumes of an encyclopedia would be ideal!) for a few days (to allow them to soften).