Gingerbread Fudge Recipe - A New Christmas Classic (2024)

FAQs

When did gingerbread become a Christmas tradition? ›

In the late 17th century, gingerbread became associated with Christmas. Russian bakers prepared gingerbread men and women, usually as replicas of those people attending parties. Gingerbread houses were introduced about 200 years later, when the Grimm brothers wrote Hansel and Gretel.

Food historians trace the origins of gingerbread back to the ancient Egyptians, who used it for ceremonial purposes. The ancient Greeks followed suit with the first known recipe for gingerbread around 2400 B.C.

One theory holds that since the "men" are really more toddler-shaped than adult, they came to represent the baby Jesus at Christmas. And the spices involved are sometimes thought to represent the exotic gifts of the Magi.

The Gingerbread man is one of England's most frequently used Christmas decorations. Its creation is attributed to Queen Elizabeth !, who is thought to have served the gingerbread figurines to visiting dignitaries. Lebkuchen, the German gingerbread, is likely to be the oldest Christmas gingerbread cookie.

Nuremberg was recognized as the "Gingerbread Capital of the World" when in the 1600s the guild started to employ master bakers and skilled workers to create complicated works of art from gingerbread. Medieval bakers used carved boards to create elaborate designs.

Gingerbread became widely available in the 18th century. Gingerbread came to the Americas with settlers from Europe.

Surprising benefits

Research shows it may aid in digestion, reduce nausea and help fight the common cold and flu. It's also believed ginger may support weight management, help manage arthritis and may also alleviate menstrual symptoms. Molasses is another ingredient sometimes found in gingerbread.

Originally gingerbread was made with honey and breadcrumbs

One of the earliest English recipes for gingerbread, written down in the fifteenth century, didn't actually contain any ginger! Instead bread crumbs or 'gratyd brede' were mixed with boiled honey and formed into a stiff paste with saffron and pepper.

A fear that gingerbread men could be the agents of the devil also spread throughout Europe. In 1607, the superstitious magistrates of Delft in the Netherlands made it illegal to either bake or eat any of these molded and spiced cookies. This was also a time of religious upheaval.

What disorder does The Gingerbread Man have? ›

The Gingerbread Man is another name for Runner's Trots or Runner's Diarrhea. According to the Mayo Clinic, "Runner's diarrhea is characterized by frequent, loose bowel movements during or immediately after a run.

Moral Of The Story

The gingerbread man was very confident that he could run fast and escape from everyone. However, he was proved wrong when the sly fox caught him. Secondly, “we should never trust anyone blindly”. The gingerbread man believed the fox offered him and was not at all tempted to eat him.

The Watch What Happens Live host, 55, shared the conversation between him and son Ben after Cohen woke up and discovered the 4½-year-old eating a gingerbread house their family was gifted by Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos. "Ben, I don't like coming downstairs and finding you with the gingerbread house in your mouth.

According to Epicure & Culture, gingerbread was sacred, and the only time it was allowed to be made by the general public was during Christmas and Easter. So, that's probably why it's seen as a Christmas delicacy. It's all in the timing. And once an association builds, it's just hard to shake.

The reason why gingerbread houses are synonymous with Christmas has to do with gingersnap cookies and how it was a highly popular tradition to bake a large assortment of ginger during the holidays. This was when gingerbread houses became a common practice with Christmas.

In 16th century Germany, people began to make elaborate gingerbread houses. "Centuries later, the Brothers Grimm's tale of Hansel and Gretel and the house in the woods made entirely of candy, boosted their popularity.

The creation of gingerbread men is credited to England's Queen Elizabeth in the 16th century, who would present dignitaries and noblemen with gingerbread men baked in their own likeness.

Many also decorated their Christmas trees with gingerbread men or houses, leading to an increase in their popularity. Others however, believe gingerbread was eaten due to the calming influence of ginger – a key ingredient amidst the festive feasting!