Make Medieval Gingerbread

This medieval gingerbread (or gyngerbrede) recipe is unusual for many reasons! Unlike the gingerbread you might be used to (like gingerbread men!), there is no sugar or flour included in this recipe. In fact, there isn’t even any ginger!

A possible reason for the lack of ginger in this recipe was because it was believed the other ingredients would have done ginger’s job. Medieval people believed in the theory of the 4 humours (blood, black bile, yellow bile and phlegm) and illness was caused when the humours became misaligned. Each humour shared attributes with the 4 elements (hot, cold, wet, dry) and a sick person would take a medicine that would generate more of the humour they didn’t have enough of. Ginger, with its spicy kick, was associated with heat and was, therefore, a medicinal ingredient. The cinnamon and pepper may have been believed to give enough flavour that the ginger was not needed.

Traditionally, the gingerbread would have been coloured red with sandalwood. As sandalwood is quite difficult to access we have replaced it with red food colouring.

Adult supervision is required.

Type of Activity : Cooking

How many people required (minimum) : 1

Safety Measures : Get your parent to use the hob for you

Ages : 8+

Time Required: 1 hour

Step 1

Pour the honey into a saucepan and bring to a boil.

Step 2

Skim off any scum that appears on the surface of the honey.

Step 3

Turn the heat down to very low, add the cinnamon, pepper, saffron and food colouring and mix (you may need to gently whisk the mixture to get it to combine).

Step 4

Slowly add the breadcrumbs and mix it into a thick, stiff, well-blended mass.

Step 5

The “dough” might be crumbly and sticky until it has cooled. This makes kneading very difficult, so once you can see the mass forming to the shape of the pan or can almost squish it together with a spoon put it on some parchment paper or a baking sheet to cool.

Step 6

Once cooled, knead the mixture together and mould the gingerbread into your desired shape.

Step 7

You can then decorate your gingerbread. Traditionally it would be cut into squares and decorated with a clove. If you chose to do this, do not eat the clove!