Roe - ritual figured cookies (recipe, templates). Roe - painted fragrant gingerbread for Christmas and New Year

The most ancient baked goods are ritual gingerbread-roe. That is, initially they were not gingerbread, since they appeared much earlier than spices in Rus'. And there used to be roe deer figures from unleavened dough, which were sculpted on New Year, only Slavic, which coincided with the harvest festival and occurred in September. And only then the roe deer began to bake in the winter - and these cute gingerbread cookies became a symbol of our Orthodox Christmas. However, first things first.

Why roe deer?

“Roes are different,” he tells us Master class specialist and tour guide of the Museum of Russian Dessert, Svetlana Ustyugova. - “The first roe deer appeared on Pomeranian soil many centuries ago. They are considered the most ancient type of baked figured dough. There is chronicle evidence that back in the 12th century our ancestors sculpted figures of bulls and cows from dough. Gingerbread cookies were strips of dough woven into fancy twists. For their twisted, snake-like shape, the ancient Pomeranian cookies got their name - roe, from the Pomeranian word “roe” - snake, curl."

Photo: AiF/ Alexey Vissarionov

The image of a roe-snake was associated with the autumn harvest, or rather with its completion - with the autumn New Year or New Year (in September). Later this tradition was transferred to winter Christmas and January New Year. And in the Kargopol region, roe deer were made in the form of serpentine curls rolled into circles called “grouse” and baked in mid-March, which also refers to a very ancient ritual dedicated to the spring equinox.
The Pomors believed that such roe-snakes would bring wealth and prosperity to the house.

There are three types of roe deer: three-dimensional Kholmogory roe deer (resembling clay figurines), Kargopol teter roe deer and painted flat gingerbread roe deer. Latest, Arkhangelsk roe deer appeared in the Russian North when sugar and spices (cinnamon and cloves) arrived there, that is, they became available to ordinary people, and not just the rich and noble. This happened no earlier than the 18th century.

Today, Arkhangelsk roe deer are a beautiful, aromatic edible souvenir, an excellent gift for any holiday or anniversary.

The shapes of gingerbread cookies have become varied. There are houses, hearts, and even cartoon characters.

Northern gingerbread

In the old days, roe deer were baked from rye flour to get a characteristic dark color, in which the glaze pattern looks most advantageous. Later they began to be made from wheat flour, adding burnt sugar. The dough was prepared in advance, it could lie in the cold for weeks, and it only got better. The figures were cut out in different ways - the goat girls had their own molds, which they took care of and passed on to generations. Already baked and cooled roe deer were covered with glaze of two colors: white and pink, obtained using lingonberry or cranberry juice.

Photo: AiF/ Alexey Vissarionov

Almost unchanged Pomeranian roe deer have reached our time, these traditional small gingerbread cookies have been baked by the inhabitants of Pomerania for many centuries. It is assumed that the settlement of the White and Barents Seas occurred in the 9th-11th centuries, where the Pomors as a people were formed for a long time. These “steadfast tin soldiers” lived a special way of life and everyday life, retained the pagan faith for a long time, believed in spirits, the machinations of evil spirits... On Christmas Eve they baked Pomeranian roe deer from rye flour, funny little figurines of animals and birds.

Men and women took part in making gingerbread, and children learned the art of rolling roe deer. Whole herds of different animals: deer, cows, big-horned sheep, seals, moose, birds, were sent to the Russian oven. Pomeranian roes were sculpted with prayers and sayings; people seemed to endow the gingerbread animals with the ability to protect and protect. Each small figure had a certain semantic meaning, for example, a deer with intertwined horns - a symbol of faith, hope, love, a cow brought prosperity, a bird with chicks on its back personified the happiness of motherhood.

Most often, Pomors sculpted deer, which, depending on the shape of the horns, had different semantic meanings. There were deers of friendship, health and longevity, spiritual protectors, deers of love and warmth. Ritual gingerbread was given to relatives, loved ones, neighbors, children played with Pomeranian roe deer, the owners gave gifts to carolers who walked with good wishes from house to house. The girls told fortunes using Pomeranian roe deer and treated the boys. A few little protectors were left until next Christmas, in order to protect the home and family from misfortunes. For a while, Pomeranian roe deer became members of the family and received names: Chernukha, Belyanka...

There were bread figurines next to the icons, which proves the importance the Pomors attached to ritual baking! Broken and old gingerbread cookies were never thrown away. The bread figurines were fed to the cattle, and in times of famine they could eat it themselves. In each region, different roes were baked, differing in shape, there were Terek, Mezen, Kargopol, Kholmogory. Our Pomeranian roe deer made from rye dough are peasant ones.

Pomeranian peasant roe

Ingredients:
Rye flour
Water
Salt

Step 1. Gradually adding flour to water you need to knead a stiff dough. And salt it.
Step 2. Knead the dough very thoroughly. Make a sausage out of it.
Step 3. Let the dough rest overnight, you can keep it in the refrigerator longer.
Step 4. Before modeling, the dough needs to be kneaded and cut into small pieces.
Step 5. Make a roe deer, gradually pulling out the head, legs, and antlers from the main piece.
Step 6. Bake in the oven or oven for an hour, then dip in boiling water, then bake for another 20-30 minutes. Repeat boiling and baking until the roe deer become firm and glossy. Cool.

The components of the dough also had their own meaning: water - life, strength, purification, rye flour - health, wealth, salt - a talisman against all evil spirits.

How to sculpt

The sculpting techniques are the same for all figures. The movements have been honed over centuries, there are no unnecessary ones. Even the number of cuts in the process of sculpting roe deer should be no more than 17. This requirement was fulfilled by all Pomeranian craftsmen and was associated with the ritual nature of the figurines.

A sausage was made from the dough and divided into small pieces. An “egg” was made from a piece, then the sharp part of it was pulled out more and a “pear” was obtained. By pulling out 1/3 of the “pear”, we got a “shoe”. Using the thumb and index finger, the legs of the deer were stretched out. Then cuts were made from the side of the abdomen, resulting in 4 legs. The remaining part on top was made into the head and horns.

Solombala roe deer

Photo: AiF/ Alexey Vissarionov

600 g granulated sugar
500 g margarine
1/2 tsp. salt
4 eggs
1 tbsp. l. cinnamon
1 tbsp. carnations
2.4 tsp soda (quench with vinegar)
2 kg flour

Before baking, brush the products with yolk diluted with water (1/2 cup of water per yolk).

The finished roe deer are painted with colored glaze.

Glaze

Boil syrup from 1 glass of granulated sugar and 1 glass of water (check readiness with a ring - bubbles should be blown out of it);
- pour 2 whipped egg whites into the hot syrup and beat this mixture until it cools;
- add 2-3 drops citric acid or vinegar essence and add color with food coloring.

Murmansk roe

Dough:
600 g granulated sugar
150 g butter or creamy margarine
3 eggs
Cloves, cinnamon, baking soda - 1 teaspoon each
1.2-1.3 kg of flour.

Burn a glass of granulated sugar in an enamel dish. When all the sugar has melted, add 1 cup hot boiled water(slowly). Mix. Then add another 2 cups of granulated sugar. When everything boils and the sugar has melted, turn it off. Add 150 g butter or margarine. When everything has cooled slightly, add 2 yolks and 1 whole egg, also add spices and water. Add flour (not all). Then pour the flour onto the table and knead the dough. Place the dough in a bag and leave it in the cold: outside in the cold or in the freezer. Can be stored for up to 1 month. Cut the dough from the refrigerator into small pieces and knead well until it becomes shiny. Do not add flour.

Roll out the dough to a thickness of 5 mm, cut out any shapes and bake them in the oven. Grease the baking sheet not greasy, but slightly so that the gingerbread does not burn.

Glaze:
To make the glaze, beat 2 egg whites, gradually adding powdered sugar until the glaze becomes thick. Place the icing in a bag (paper rolled up into a tube) and paint the gingerbread.

Arkhangelsk roe deer

Photo: AiF/ Alexey Vissarionov

Burn 1 glass of granulated sugar, then dissolve it in a glass hot water. Then add 2 cups of granulated sugar and stir until completely dissolved. Turn off the heat and add 150 g of butter or margarine, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, cloves and soda, cool slightly, add 1 egg and 2 yolks. After this, add about 0.5 kg of flour, knead the dough so that it does not stick to your hands. Keep the dough in a pan and cellophane in cool place week. After this, add another 0.5 kg of granulated sugar to the dough and roll it out to a thickness of 0.5 cm. Cut the rolled out dough into shapes made of tin or thick paper and place on a baking sheet, greased once with oil.
Brush the gingerbread cookies with an egg beaten with water in a 1:1 ratio and place in the oven. Bake for 5 - 7 minutes. Ready gingerbread let dry, then remove them from the baking sheet and decorate with glaze.

Arkhangelsk roe deer - aristocrats, painted with glaze, consisting of white flour, burnt sugar, cinnamon, cloves. To give sugar icing Pomors of different colors added juices from northern berries. Men also took part in the preparation of the Arkhangelsk ritual gingerbread. They kneaded the dough, bent iron into contour shapes of figurines of animals and birds... From the rolled out dough they cut out flat Pomeranian roes with molds. The whole family decorated fragrant, beautiful gingerbread cookies. Now Pomeranian roe deer have lost their ritual magical significance, although they are still a good gift.

Since ancient times, people have baked various sweets for the holidays. For a birthday - a cake, for Easter - Easter cakes, for a wedding - a loaf. But for Christmas they baked roe deer.

What are these sweets?

Roe is traditional Christmas cookies from rye or wheat flour. Most often it was made in the shape of a goat, horse, sheep, cow, or deer. The goat has always been considered a symbol of wealth and prosperity in the home, and making cookies in the shape of this animal symbolized prosperity.

During the Christmas holidays, all relatives, friends, neighbors and caroling children received roe biscuits as a treat. The recipe for such sweets was passed down from generation to generation. Each family baked roe deer with its own “twist”. After all, not only people were treated to Christmas cookies, but they were also fed to pets. People believed that after this the cattle became very fertile. In addition, roe deer were hung in a stable or barn as a talisman, and were also used for fortune telling on Epiphany evening.

Roe biscuits. Recipe one

To prepare you will need:

• 5 cups sugar (for dough and glaze);
• 2.5 glasses of water;
• 3 eggs (in dough);
• 5 yolks (in the dough);
• 2 egg whites (for icing).
• 1/2 teaspoon salt;
• 2 tablespoons of soda;
• 2-3 tablespoons of spices (cloves, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon);
• 2 drops of vinegar essence (in glaze);
• 1.8-2 kg of flour.

Preparing the dough and making goats

Over low heat in a thick bowl (preferably a frying pan with a thick bottom) melt 2 cups of sugar (until brown). Then slowly pour in 1.5 cups of boiling water. The water in the bowl should boil and steam vigorously. It is better not to lean low over the frying pan so as not to burn your face. It is necessary to constantly stir the mixture with a wooden spoon. Dissolve everything in Add the same amount of sugar (2 cups), stir and let it dissolve completely. Next, you can remove the syrup from the heat and add 350 g of margarine (butter). Pour the entire mixture into a large saucepan and let cool.

While the syrup is cooling, in a separate cup you need to beat 5 yolks and 3 whole eggs (as for an omelet). Egg mixture pour into cooled syrup. Add salt, spices (to taste) and soda. Sift the flour, then gradually pour into sugar mixture. Flour should be poured as required by the roe recipe, even if the dough seems liquid. Otherwise the products will be tough. Ready dough put in a cool place for one day.

After the allotted time has passed, roll it out about a centimeter thick and cut out your favorite shapes (you can make the necessary templates in advance). Products should be baked at a temperature of 180 degrees.

Glaze

And for the roe deer? We will now look at the recipe for making it. First you need to beat two whites into a stiff foam. Boil syrup from a glass of water and sugar. Remove the boiling syrup from the heat and pour the whites into it. Beat with a mixer until thick (15-25 minutes). Finally, pour in the essence. If you want, you can add dye. After which you can decorate the finished roes with glaze.

To make the cookies soft and tasty, it is better to make them large and not very thin. And most importantly, do not overdry the dough in the oven! Then you will get real, “magical” Christmas roes, traditional recipe which you now know!

Other products

Gingerbread-roe cakes are also baked. What are these products and where did they come from? Gingerbread appeared in the north of Arkhangelsk. In those old days old times They were baked only for New Year and Christmas. Gingerbread cookies were cut out in the shape of figures of animals, birds, an angel, a Christmas tree, houses, a Christmas star or a sleigh. The recipe for roe deer was passed down from grandmothers to mothers and has survived to this day. There are also separate family forms of roe deer, both ancient and new, modern.

The northerners believed that roe deer attracted good luck. If, for example, a young girl makes gingerbread herself and gives it to a single guy, then soon she will definitely become a bride. But it was customary to give the largest roe to the whole family for good luck. She was considered a talisman. Most often, roe deer were baked in the oven. But in the 30s of the last century, they began to use another method: before putting the figurine in the oven, they began to immerse it in boiling water for a couple of minutes to preserve the shape of the gingerbread.

The main secret of making roe deer is to make the dough with love, in good mood and without haste. It is best to start kneading late in the evening, before going to bed.

Gingerbread dough

What about roe deer? Its recipe is clear to everyone. For cooking you will need:

• 2-2.5 kg of sifted flour;
• two eggs;
• a pack of margarine or butter;
• a tablespoon of baking soda, slaked with vinegar;
• spices to taste (cloves, ginger, cinnamon);
• 3-4 glasses of sugar.

Preparation

Glaze for roe deer. Recipe

First, we'll tell you how it's done. You need to thoroughly beat one egg white. Next, you need to gradually add powdered sugar (a glass) and a few drops of lemon for shine. To prepare the pink glaze, you first need to separate a little of the white glaze and drop raw beet juice into it, and then stir until the shade is uniform.

Gingerbread cookies can be decorated using a brush, match, stick or pastry bag. It all depends on your imagination. It is better not to fill the products with glaze, but to draw intricate New Year's patterns. The glaze recipe can be slightly varied by adding carrot juice, cocoa or dyes to the cream.

Third recipe

Of course, these are not the only gingerbread roe. Recipe for another one magical baking will help prepare such sweet products a little faster. For cooking you will need:

• sugar - 800 g;
• glass of water;
• margarine (butter) - 150 g;
• spices (cinnamon, cloves);
• soda - teaspoon;
• 3 eggs;
• flour.

Cooking gingerbread

Melt one glass of sugar over the fire and dissolve it in a glass of hot water. Then pour in two more glasses of sand and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat and place in syrup butter(about 150 g), a teaspoon of cinnamon and soda. Cool and add one egg and two yolks. Then pour in 0.5 kg of flour and knead into a stiff dough. Keep it in a cool place. Then add another half a kilogram of granulated sugar and roll it into a layer 50 mm thick. Cut out animal figures and place on a greased sheet.

Brush the gingerbread with egg and water and place in the oven. Bake for about 7 minutes. Finished products must dry.

How to cook in in this case frosting for goats? The recipe is practically no different from the usual one. For cooking you will need:

• two proteins;
• powdered sugar;
• dye or juice of berries and vegetables.

Beat two egg whites and powdered sugar (5-7 tablespoons). Add or juice of cranberries, beets, blueberries, lingonberries, carrots. Mix well until uniform. Add dye until you get the desired color. Afterwards you can decorate the gingerbread cookies with glaze.

Conclusion

Many people don’t even suspect that such delicious and unusual gingerbread roe exists. Some people saw or tried this pastry, but did not know its name. Now you understand how to make real Christmas roes, the recipe for which is presented in the article, which means you can not only try them yourself, but also bake these amazing figures. Children love them most of all. After all, gingerbread cookies are so similar to fairy-tale toys that bring joy and faith in miracles on New Year’s Eve. But, by the way, there is no such holiday when it would be impossible to decorate dinner table gingerbread goats! Whatever roe recipe you choose, bake them with love, kindness and faith in the best! Go for it - and everything will work out for you!

The northern gingerbread roe appeared in Arkhangelsk Solombala - an area of ​​​​artisan people. In those distant times, roe deer were baked only for the largest holidays. For a long time it was believed that the roe deer brings good luck. For example, people believed that if a girl bakes a roe deer herself and then gives it to a young man, then she will definitely get married next year. A large roe was given to the whole family at once. It was believed that it would bring good luck to the house and become its amulet.

GOES - GINGERBREAKERS OF ARKHANGELSK POMORIES

According to the old tradition, figured cut-out gingerbread cookies decorated with colored sugar glaze are baked in Arkhangelsk.

Little, horny,
Doesn't turn his head
It crunches on your teeth...

Well, of course, it's a roe! And what is it? Figurines - deer, skates, bulls, cows, goats, birds, seals - made from rye dough - have a common meaning, the common name is “roes”.

Have you ever tried northern gingerbread - roe? Delicious, crispy gingerbread with aroma herbs. Now the tradition of baking roe deer is being revived, but earlier during Soviet rule such delicious gingerbread was not available.

The first roe deer appeared on Pomeranian soil many centuries ago. They are considered the most ancient type of baked figured dough, dating back to the cult figurines of the 12th century. There is chronicle evidence that back in the 12th century, our ancestors sculpted figures of bulls and cows from dough. Gingerbread cookies were strips of dough woven into intricate twists. The ancient Pomeranian cookies got their name from the convoluted, snake-like shape - roe, from the Pomeranian word “roe” - snake, curl.

The image of a roe-snake was associated with the autumn harvest, or rather with its completion - with the autumn New Year or New Year (in September). Later this tradition was transferred to winter Christmas and January New Year. And in the Kargopol region, roe deer were made in the form of serpentine curls rolled into circles called “grouse” and baked in mid-March, which also refers to a very ancient ritual dedicated to the spring equinox.
The Pomors believed that such roe-snakes would bring wealth and prosperity to the house.

There are three types of roe deer: three-dimensional Kholmogory roe deer (resembling clay figurines), Kargopol teter roe deer and painted flat gingerbread roe deer. Arkhangelsk painted gingerbread-roes appeared in the Russian North when sugar and spices (cinnamon and cloves) became available to the population of the provincial center, that is, not earlier than the 18th century.

In the old days, gingerbread was also made in the form of animals - deer, horses, bulls, cows, goats, seals. The custom of baking animals originates from pagan beliefs. It is assumed that the creation of a grain herd is a modified sacrifice. There was a belief that the more people baked animal figurines, the more game there would be in the forests and livestock in the yards. On which the well-being of the people directly depended. The Slavs also believed that roe deer brought happiness to the house, so they were kept in the house for up to a year, and sometimes more. This tradition has survived to this day.

In ancient times, deer and horses were symbols of the Sun, the solar deity, associated with the image of the god Yarila. They were often depicted on a stand - a symbol of the universe. Kholmogory roe deer (made from rye flour) is a figure on four legs, a head, a bush of branched antlers, apples on the horns, birds on the apples, or rather bird wings made from white dough. An apple with wings resembles the image of a winged sun. And its size reached 245 cm. Often the roe deer were given names: Beliana, Belek, Chernukha...

Brides and young girls were given horses with manes braided in triple braids - as a symbol of Faith, Hope, and Love. They also placed roe deer in front of the icon.

There were roes in the form of a star, an angel, a shepherd, a basket (with gifts), a bird, etc. These figures resemble Christian symbols, but the true meaning has been lost over time.

In the old days, making and painting roe deer was largely of a ritual nature; our ancestors believed in the protective power of fragrant gingerbread. Roe is both a talisman and a talisman.

Today, Arkhangelsk roe deer are a beautiful, aromatic edible souvenir, an excellent gift for any holiday or anniversary.
The shapes of gingerbread cookies have become varied. There are houses and hearts, and cartoon characters, etc.

Gingerbread cookies can be stored for up to a year, therefore, the gingerbread cookies you paint will become great gift for all time!

In the old days, roe deer were baked from rye flour to obtain a characteristic dark color, on which the glaze pattern looks most advantageous. Later they began to be made from wheat flour, adding burnt sugar. The dough was prepared in advance, it could lie in the cold for weeks, and it only got better. The figures were cut out in different ways - the goat girls had their own molds, which they took care of and passed on to generations. Already baked and cooled roes were covered with glaze of two colors: white and pink, obtained by adding lingonberry or cranberry juice.
Now, along with just gingerbread, they have begun to invent different gingerbread houses, or even make models of wooden churches.

Pomeranian roe deer - recipe

Kozuli are made from specially prepared dough. Pieces of dough are shaped into various animals - goats and goats, deer, lambs, cows and bulls, as well as cats, seals and birds. The made figurines are baked in an oven or oven on a greased sheet. Kozuli is also considered a regional variety of Russian gingerbread. Based on the manufacturing method, modern roe can be classified as cut-out gingerbread.
Dough recipes are quite varied, and many families have their own recipes for making dough, which have been kept in families for decades. Roe deer are usually colorfully decorated using glaze, which is made from whipped egg whites with the addition of various natural dyes.

Roe "Solombala"

600g granulated sugar, 500g margarine, 1/2 tsp. salt, 4 eggs, 1 tbsp. l. cinnamon, 1 tbsp. cloves, 2.4 tsp. soda (quench with vinegar), 2 kg of flour.
200g. Burn the granulated sugar, gradually pour 2 cups of boiling water into it and add another 400g of sand. Remove from heat, but stir margarine and salt into the still warm mixture. Cool the resulting mass. Then add eggs, cinnamon and cloves, add baking soda, quenched with vinegar, and lastly add flour. Knead the stiff dough, cut it into pieces, roll the pieces into cakes and you can cut out figures.
Before baking, brush the products with yolk diluted with water (1/2 cup of water per yolk).
Ready-made roe deer are painted with colored glaze.
Glaze:
- cook syrup from 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup water (check readiness with a ring - bubbles should be blown out of it);
- pour 2 whipped egg whites into the hot syrup and beat this mixture until it cools;
- add 2-3 drops of citric acid or vinegar essence and add color with food coloring.
Next, you can add ½ cup of honey (resting time for the dough increases to 2-3 weeks) or condensed milk (resting time for the dough for 3-4 weeks).

Murmansk roe

Dough:
600 g granulated sugar. 150 g butter or butter margarine. 3 eggs. Cloves, cinnamon, baking soda - 1 teaspoon each. 1.2-1.3 kg of flour. Burn a glass of granulated sugar in an enamel dish. When all the sugar has melted, add 1 glass of hot boiled water (slowly). Mix. Then add another 2 cups of granulated sugar. When everything boils and the sugar has melted, turn it off. Add 150 g butter or margarine. When everything has cooled slightly, add 2 yolks and 1 whole egg, also add spices and water. Add flour (not all). Then pour the flour onto the table and knead the dough. Place the dough in a bag and leave it in the cold: outside in the cold or in the freezer. Can be stored for up to 1 month. Cut the dough from the refrigerator into small pieces and knead well until it becomes shiny. Do not add flour.
Roll out the dough to a thickness of 5 mm, cut out any shapes and bake them in the oven. Grease the baking sheet not greasy, but slightly so that the gingerbread does not burn.
Glaze:
To make the glaze, beat 2 egg whites, gradually adding powdered sugar until the glaze becomes thick. Place the icing in a bag (paper rolled up into a tube) and paint the gingerbread.

Arkhangelsk roe deer

Burn 1 glass of granulated sugar, then dissolve it in a glass of hot water. Then add 2 cups of granulated sugar and stir until completely dissolved. Turn off the heat and add 150 g of butter or margarine, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, cloves and soda, cool slightly, add 1 egg and 2 yolks. After this, add about 0.5 kg of flour, knead the dough so that it does not stick to your hands. Keep the dough in a pan and cellophane in a cool place for a week. After this, add another 0.5 kg of granulated sugar to the dough and roll it out to a thickness of 0.5 cm. Cut the rolled out dough into shapes made of tin or thick paper and place on a baking sheet, greased once with oil.
Brush the gingerbread cookies with beaten egg and water in a 1:1 ratio and place in the oven. Bake for 5 - 7 minutes. Let the finished gingerbreads dry, then remove them from the baking sheet and decorate with glaze.

To make the glaze colored, you can use natural dyes:
* white paint: powdered sugar, milk, sour cream;
* yellow: mix lemon zest with carrot juice and oil, fry for 3 - 5 minutes until softened and strain through cheesecloth;
* green: juice from spinach;
* red and pink: juice of raspberries, strawberries, lingonberries, currants, cherries, pomegranates, boiled beets;
* orange: orange and tangerine juice;
* brown: cocoa powder.

Roe gingerbread – traditional winter delicacy northern peoples. For many centuries, on the shores of the White Sea, not a single New Year or Christmas can go by without them. Beautiful fragrant figures of deer, goats, angels, fir trees, houses from gingerbread text - all of them are called roes.

The recipe for these gingerbread cookies is passed down from generation to generation. Previously they were even transmitted special molds, today they can be easily purchased in the store.

Beautiful multi-colored gingerbread cookies will suit any holiday table.

Roe - an old recipe

The name “roe” comes from the word goat; in ancient times it was a symbol of well-being and prosperity in the home. The roe baked in the form of animals– deer, goats, cats, cows. Later, figures of angels, houses, Christmas trees, sleighs, roses and clouds were added.

We approached this process responsibly; it could take more than one day. It was believed that one should bake with good thoughts and in in a great mood, wishing everyone well and smiling - otherwise the gingerbreads will not turn out. The whole family decorated the roe deer to their own taste - with different intricate patterns. Very often they were hung on the Christmas tree instead of toys. The peoples of Pomerania kept them whole year, then new ones were baked, and the old ones were fed to the birds and.

Not a single recipe for roe deer dough is complete without sugar syrup, boiled to the consistency of caramel.

In total, to make gingerbread you will need a glass of honey, two glasses of water and sugar, 100 grams of butter, a kilogram of rye or wheat flour (preferably coarse), 1 g cinnamon and cloves.

How to bake roe

By ancient recipe honey, sugar and water are mixed and boiled over low heat until “brown” until caramelized. Then let it cool slightly and add butter, spices and flour. Place the dough in the refrigerator for 1 hour (previously it was taken out into the cold).

The dough should become plastic, any figures can be easily molded from it. They bake quickly - only 10 minutes, at a temperature of just over 200 degrees. Rye flour makes the dough more difficult to roll, but the roe deer turns out tastier.

Already cooled gingerbread cookies can be decorated. Today it is not difficult to purchase ready food colorings , and in ancient times there were only a few flowers. For white, the egg whites were beaten with sugar; for pink, jam was dripped into it; for yellow, the yolk was used.

Can make it more difficult to obtain natural dyes. Yellow made from lemon zest And carrot juice, fried in butter. The green “paint” is obtained from spinach juice, the brown one from cocoa.

All dyes - both homemade and purchased - are added to the pre-prepared glaze.

Glaze for roe deer - recipe

To do this, beat two egg whites thick foam with 5 tablespoons of sugar, and poured into cups, in which they then make different colors. Roe deer are painted with patterns thin brush to your taste.

Another recipe for gingerbread glaze is this:

Beat 1 egg white and 100 grams with a whisk or in a blender powdered sugar. If the mixture turns out to be too liquid, it will not become an excellent background for painting baked goods.

Arkhangelsk roe deer: recipe

They are also called northern ones; residents of Pomerania have been baking them for many centuries and are called the Christmas symbol of Arkhangelsk. The recipe for Christmas roe is a little different.

You will need three glasses of sugar, 100 grams of margarine or butter, 2 glasses of water, 8 glasses of flour, 2 spoons of soda, a pinch of ginger, cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon.

Initially Heat a glass of sugar in a frying pan or saucepan until it turns dark brown, after which two glasses of water are poured into it and the remaining sugar is added. The syrup is brought to a boil, then mixed with oil and cooled. Next, as in the previous recipe, the remaining ingredients are added and the dough is kneaded.

For the glaze you will need a glass of sugar, one egg white and a small pinch of citric acid. The egg white is beaten thickly, after which the syrup, boiled in half a glass of water, is poured into it in a thin stream. granulated sugar. Then the glaze is whipped again with the addition of lemon. It is recommended to decorate gingerbread cookies with chilled glaze.

The finished roe deer should be soft on the inside and golden brown on the outside. After a day they should slightly harden. You can bake these gingerbread cookies with your whole family – it brings you together and lifts your spirits. Over time, this can become a good New Year's tradition.

Stencils for gingerbread

What are roe deer? If you don’t know the exact answer, you will never guess that these are Arkhangelsk gingerbreads decorated with multi-colored glaze, baked from dough in the form of figures of birds and animals: horses, deer, cows and bulls, seals and goats.

We will talk about what kind of roe deer there are, about their history, about recipes and the intricacies of their preparation in this article.

The history of northern roe deer is long and beautiful. According to one version traditional baking Pomors (peoples living on the White Sea coast) received this name because in the local dialect “kozulya” (sometimes called “kozyulya”) means “snake”, “curl”. According to another version, because gingerbread was most often baked in the shape of a goat, which since ancient times was considered a symbol of prosperity and wealth in the home.

Arkhangelsk is considered the birthplace of these gingerbread cookies. Although in various northern settlements tied to a particular area according to toponymy: Mezen settlements along the Mezen River, Kargopol settlements - the city of Kargopol and nearby villages, Terek settlements that settled on the Terek coast of the White Sea, Kholmogory settlements - in the Kholmogory district, Arkhangelsk settlements - in Arkhangelsk - it has been preserved own technique for baking roe deer (from braid or kolob).

Even roe deer cooked within the same region could differ from each other. The most famous of them:

• Flat painted Arkhangelsk roe-gingerbread. They appeared in the Russian North no earlier than the 18th century, when many residents were able to use previously unavailable spices (cloves, cinnamon) and sugar.
• Kargopol roe teters, which, like Mezen ones, unlike Arkhangelsk gingerbreads, are made from bread tow. Instead of painted solid flat figurines made from burnt sugar, “vitushki” are made in Kargopol. At the same time, the dough is stretched out, rolled into thin sausages (no thicker than a pencil), and various twisted figures are laid out from it.

• The voluminous Kholmogory roe (which, along with the Mezen ones, are considered the most ancient) was prepared from black dough, colored in some cases with white dough. In appearance, these are stylized figurines of a deer made of rye dough with a head depicting a bush, decorated with apples and bird wings made of white dough, reminiscent of the winged sun from pagan culture.

Be that as it may, northern roe deer are not just a national delicacy that the Pomors prepared in special ways, only for them famous recipes, but also a traditional ritual dish. Their preparation is a real ancient rite, which initially had a deep philosophical meaning.

In ancient times, painted gingerbread cookies were credited with magical powers. And, probably, they were not originally conceived at all as culinary dish(they were prepared from simple rye dough), but as ritual images of animals, which later became the basis for the emergence of delicious Pomeranian pastries.

This version is also confirmed by the fact that the animal figures from the dough had to be cut out in a certain way: they should look only to the left. The human figurine had to be turned to face forward. A strip was often left at the bottom of the gingerbread, symbolizing the earth.

In ancient times, gingerbread roe were baked strictly once a year: on Christmastide and Christmas holidays. The northern peoples sincerely believed that Christmas roes would bring them luck, wealth and prosperity. They were considered a talisman and given to the whole family for good luck. There are many signs and traditions associated with them.

The whole family took part in this event on the eve of the holidays. The men kneaded the dough, the women cut out curly gingerbread cookies in the shape of birds, animals, houses, Christmas trees, angels, sleighs and a Christmas star and baked them. The children were not left idle either: they actively helped in coloring and decorating them.

Read also: How to prepare Lenten honey gingerbread

On Christmas, all relatives, neighbors, friends, and caroling children received roe deer as a treat. It was also given to domestic animals, because it was believed that by eating such Christmas gingerbread, livestock would bear rich offspring. For the northern peoples, who mainly lived from fishing and cattle breeding, this was important.

Roes were hung as a talisman in barns and stables, protected their home from evil spirits, and were used as an indispensable attribute for fortune telling on Epiphany evenings. Cooking them with special love and diligence, they boasted to the guests. Christmas roes were not eaten immediately, but were stored for a long time (sometimes until next holiday). The gingerbread figurine (even if it broke) could not be thrown away - this could bring bad luck.

Nowadays, the symbol of Pomerania - Christmas and New Year's gingerbread roe - is baked not only in Arkhangelsk and the region, but also in Murmansk and the Urals. Departing from strict ritual traditions, they are prepared for any home celebrations and holidays simply because they are tasty and unusual dessert. They decorate the Christmas tree, use them in carols and as toys for children.

And art historians, connoisseurs of folk art and artists consider painted gingerbreads, prepared according to ancient recipes in the lands of the Russian North, as an ethnographic rarity and a culinary work of folk art.

How to cook northern roe deer?

In the families of gingerbread makers, methods of preparing dough, sugar coating, and decorative decorations were kept strictly and secretly. finished baked goods And own recipe roe with a “twist”, which was inherited through the female line.

In the old days, such figurines were baked in a special way: first, the dough was made from rye flour. Probably because the glaze pattern looked most advantageous against a dark background. They took the darkest flour, added a little salt, kneaded it thoroughly - and the dough was ready. Later, when preparing dough from wheat flour, burnt sugar was added to the dough to obtain a dark brown color.

The dough for roe deer was prepared in advance, and it could be kept in the cold for more than one week. However, this only made its properties better. Then they cut out figures from it different forms, which were also made in each family. And the finished and cooled gingerbread cookies were painted with white and pink glaze obtained by adding cranberry or lingonberry juice.

In different regions, something different, local, was added to the recipes for Russian carved gingerbread. An indispensable ingredient in Pomeranian Arkhangelsk dough is syrup made from burnt sugar (black molasses). Ural roe deer are prepared with the addition of honey. And, of course, all recipes use various spices, and finished goods certainly decorated with multi-colored glaze.

Yeast is completely absent in goat recipes, and therefore such painted gingerbread cookies with the amazing aroma of cinnamon and honey do not lose their flavor for a long time. taste qualities and do not spoil. On the contrary, after some time they become softer.

Hereditary Arkhangelsk gingerbread makers claim that the most important thing that is required when preparing them is to do everything without haste, in a good mood, with good thoughts in your head, when no one and nothing will distract you with other matters.

Let's try to prepare a sweet Christmas treat according to one of the ones that have come down to us old recipes. Although this process is fascinating, it is very lengthy and completely difficult, requiring precision and accuracy. It consists of three main stages:

• prepare the dough;
• bake;
• Decorate the finished gingerbread cookies with icing.

Read also: Lenten honey gingerbread with apples: recipe

Honey roes

For cooking gingerbread dough required:

• Flour – 450 g (you can only take wheat flour, or you can mix two types: rye – 300 g, wheat – 150 g)
• Water – 60 ml
• Honey – 150 g
• Baking soda – 1 tsp. (quench with vinegar)
• Butter – 3 tbsp. l.
• Sugar – 150 g
• Ground spices - cinnamon, cloves on the tip of a spoon (you can also take nutmeg, cardamom, ginger).

Baking gingerbread:

• Prepare the burnt mixture (it is best to do this in a thick-bottomed container) - melt the sugar over medium-intensity heat. When all the sugar has melted and turned brown, pour boiling water into the container in small portions (do this carefully - you can get burned by the hot steam generated and protect your eyes from the strongly foaming and splashing heated sugar). Add honey, stirring constantly. The result is a sweet, thick syrup.
• Add butter to the slightly cooled syrup (up to 70 degrees) and stir until a homogeneous creamy caramel mass is obtained.
• Add soda, spices to the cooled mass and mix again.
• Gradually add pre-sifted flour into the prepared mixture and stir so that there are no lumps in the dough (first, use a wooden spatula).
• Knead the dough on the board, adding flour in small portions (excess flour can make it too tight). The dough should be elastic, soft, resembling plasticine in consistency, very aromatic and tasty even when raw.

Kneading dough is a labor-intensive and time-consuming process. But without this, the gingerbread cookies may crack during baking.

• Before baking, the finished dough should be kept in the cold (if you are in a hurry, at least a couple of hours, but it is better to leave it for a day).

If you do not plan to use all the dough at once, you can put it in a bag in the refrigerator for a while. And before baking, let it sit for room temperature.

• Next, cutting off pieces of dough, roll out a layer (thickness from 2-3 mm to 1 cm) on a cutting board sprinkled with flour. Crispy and thin gingerbread cookies will be made from more thin dough. More tender and fluffy - made from thicker dough. This the dough will work and for baking a gingerbread house.
• Using a knife, carefully cut out the figures along the contours of pre-prepared original templates (stencils of angels, animal figures, Santa Clauses, snowmen can be made independently from thick paper or cardboard), laying them out on rolled out dough, or cutting them out using ready-made molds.

If you want to use your gingerbread figurines as Christmas tree decorations, you can make small holes in them, where a ribbon can be threaded after baking.

• Figures, greased with yolk and water: ½ cup of water and 1 yolk (egg grease gives Christmas roes a glossy shine and an appetizing appearance), place them on a baking sheet covered with baking parchment.

We leave a little distance between the figures, because the roes will rise a little during baking. Bake for 10-15 minutes at 200 degrees (but in general, rely on your oven). The gingerbread figures should be browned, but it is important not to overcook them in the oven (they may dry out, become hard and crack).

• After our gingerbread cookies have cooled completely, we begin decorating them and painting them with colored glaze.

Ural roe deer recipe

It is assumed that the Ural roe deer are descendants of the northern roe deer. They came to the Urals along with settlers from the North. Their recipe was slightly modified taking into account local culture and traditions: sugar was completely or partially replaced with honey.

The main feature of local gingerbreads is that they were colorful, bright and certainly fragrant. Their honey-spicy aroma spread far beyond the boundaries of where they were baked. Ural gingerbread makers make special dough for their baking and from small pieces sculpt figures.