Hello friends!
The holiday season is approaching, and my spice cabinet is tingling! Yes, it’s time to share a new gingerbread recipe with you. Until now, I’ve relied on Christophe Felder’s version, one of my go-to references in pastry. This year, we’re stepping it up!
Here is my palace gingerbread!
Direction Place de la Concorde!
Yes, we’re heading to the ultra-chic heart of the capital and its Hôtel de Crillon. This recipe for palace gingerbread comes from there, precisely from Chef Mathieu Carlin, the pastry chef at this prestigious establishment!
A word about the Chef
Mathieu Carlin is the pastry chef at the Hôtel de Crillon in Paris. I had the pleasure of meeting him; he is a passionate individual who loves to share his craft.
From a young age, he discovered pastry-making through his grandmother’s traditional recipes. He then refined his skills with renowned chefs like Pierre Gagnaire and Guy Savoy before joining the Crillon, where he now leads the Butterfly Pâtisserie.
He is recognized for his demanding creativity and his love for participatory workshops, organizing « Sweet Meetings » with experts around various themes. He also excels in making ice creams and sorbets, crafting refined and light recipes, and designs sculptural chocolate pieces for special occasions.
A palace gingerbread, Casserole & Chocolat version
As usual, I took a few liberties with Mathieu Carlin’s recipe.
My changes: I used citrus peels instead of zests. For the honey, I opted for floral honey, but you can mix floral with fir honey if you prefer a more robust flavor.
Additionally, while the Chef recommends letting the dough rest overnight in the refrigerator, I shortened it to 5 hours. Depending on your schedule, an overnight rest might work better for you—it’s entirely up to you!
Lastly, the original recipe calls for an orange marmalade glaze: I didn’t have any on hand, so I used quince jelly instead. Mirabelle or apricot jam would also be great alternatives.
There you go, I’ve shared everything—I’m not hiding anything from you!
My cooking tips for successfully making your palace gingerbread
The chef’s recipe suggests baking for 50 to 60 minutes at 150°C (300°F). I followed these instructions exactly, and unfortunately, the center of my gingerbread remained liquid! Yes, you read that correctly: liquid! Luckily, I checked with a knife tip (which you should always do, even if everything seems fine like in my case). I ended up extending the baking time by more than 20 minutes—that’s significant.
That’s why I suggest in my recipe baking it for 1 hour at 160°C (320°F). I believe this will work beautifully, but I haven’t tested it yet. In any case, make sure to check for doneness by inserting the blade of a knife into the center. If it comes out dry, you’re good to go! If not, continue baking in 5-minute increments. I assure you, at 160°C (320°F) you won’t risk overbaking.
How to store your palace gingerbread
With gingerbread, you’ve got time… You can store it for up to 10 days in an airtight container at room temperature. Alternatively, you can freeze your palace gingerbread (that’s what I did as I prepare for the holidays!).
Always more recipes in the gingerbread section…
If you’re a fan, like me, you can also find here the gingerbread bredele or even my gingerbread house!
A word on the origin of gingerbread
Gingerbread has its origins in Asia, where a honey bread flavored with spices was consumed in ancient China under the name of mi-kong.
It was introduced to Europe in the Middle Ages through trade and the spice routes. The Crusaders brought back this aromatic specialty, which quickly spread to monasteries, where monks and nuns prepared it for its energizing and digestive properties.
In France, it first took root in Alsace and Burgundy, regions that became its emblematic homes. Over time, it evolved into a traditional sweet associated with festivals and winter markets.
The necessary utensils
A small saucepan,
A fine strainer,
A mixing bowl (or a large salad bowl),
A whisk,
A cake pan (16 or 18 cm / 6 or 7 inches)
And a pastry brush.
Here you go, no need for further elaboration… Let’s head into the kitchen, put on the apron, and make some palace gingerbread!
The recipe, Chef!
The Palace Gingerbread
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Loading...Ingredients
- Syrup
- 210 g of water
- 6 g of star anise
- 18 g of lemon, lime, and orange peel or zest
- 210 g of honey
- 100 g of brown sugar
- 1 pinch of fleur de sel
- Dough
- 150 g of rye flour
- 70 g of T55 flour (or T45)
- 3 g of ground cinnamon (3/4 teaspoon)
- 2 g of spice mix (1/2 teaspoon)
- 12 g of baking soda
- 135 g of butter
- Finishing
- 1/2 tablespoon of quince jelly
- 1 or 2 cinnamon sticks
Instructions
Syrup
Put all the ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the heat, cover with plastic wrap, and let steep for at least 30 minutes.
Dough
Pour all the ingredients (except the butter) into a mixing bowl and mix.
Pour the syrup over it through a fine sieve. Retrieve the star anise and the peels for the final decoration of your gingerbread.
Mix until you have a homogeneous mixture.
Finally, add the previously melted butter, mix well.
Cover with plastic wrap and let rest in the refrigerator for 5 hours.
Preheat your oven to 160 degrees.
Pour the dough into your buttered and floured loaf pan.
Bake for 1 hour. Check the cooking with the tip of a knife.
When it comes out of the oven, you can brush your gingerbread with quince jelly or orange jam, for example.
Decorate with star anise, cinnamon sticks, and citrus peels.
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