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Piernik

Name: Piernik
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Polish
Ingredients: 140 g plain flour; 5 g baking powder; 4 g ground cinnamon; 2 g ground ginger; 0.5 g ground cloves; 1 g fine salt; 90 g honey; 50 g unsalted butter; 35 g light brown sugar; 1 large egg; 60 ml whole milk; 5 g unsalted butter, for greasing; 5 g plain flour, for dusting tin; 80 g plum jam

This piernik is dark, moist, and richly perfumed with honey, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. A ribbon of tart plum jam through the center balances the sweetness and gives the loaf a classic Polish character. The result is cosy, fragrant, and perfect with tea or coffee.

2 servings

665 kcal

Polish

Ingredients

Batter

140 gplain flour
5 gbaking powder
4 gground cinnamon
2 gground ginger
0.5 gground cloves
1 gfine salt
90 ghoney
50 gunsalted butter
35 glight brown sugar
1 largeegg
60 mlwhole milk

Tin and filling

5 gunsalted butter, for greasing
5 gplain flour, for dusting tin
80 gplum jam

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 175°C conventional heat. Grease a small loaf tin (about 18 x 8 cm) with the butter and dust lightly with flour, tapping out the excess. This helps the sticky honey batter release cleanly after baking.
2
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt until the spices are evenly distributed with no lumps.
3
In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the honey, butter, and brown sugar just until the butter melts and the sugar begins to dissolve. Do not boil; gentle heat preserves the honey aroma and keeps the egg from scrambling in the next step. Remove from the heat and cool for 3 to 4 minutes until just warm.
4
Whisk the egg and milk into the warm honey mixture until smooth. If the mixture is hotter than lukewarm, wait another minute before adding the egg.
5
Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and fold gently with a spatula until no dry flour remains. Mix only until combined; overmixing will make the loaf tough rather than tender.
6
Scrape half the batter into the prepared tin and level it lightly. Spoon the plum jam over the center, leaving a small border around the edges so it stays inside the loaf, then cover with the remaining batter and smooth the top.
7
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the loaf is well risen, deep brown, and a skewer inserted into the cake part comes out clean; avoid testing directly through the jam layer. If the top browns too quickly, lay a loose piece of foil over it for the final 10 minutes.
8
Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack. Let it rest another 5 minutes before slicing; the crumb will set and the jam layer will stop flowing. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

Nutrition per serving

665 kcal

Calories

10g

Protein

104g

Carbs

24g

Fat

Fiber

Notes

•For the best flavour, make the loaf a few hours ahead or even a day ahead; piernik becomes more aromatic as the spices settle.
•If your plum jam is very stiff, warm it briefly so it spreads easily without tearing the batter.
•This small loaf is designed for 2 generous servings; for a taller, more traditional family-sized piernik, double the recipe and use a standard loaf tin.

Background

Piernik is one of Poland's most beloved spiced honey cakes, with roots reaching back to medieval trade routes that brought costly spices into Central Europe. It is especially associated with Toruń, a historic city famous for its gingerbread-making tradition. Versions range from crisp gingerbread cookies to soft loaves layered with jam.

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