Gingerbread

Method

1. Grind the cloves into a fine powder using a meat pounder and knife, then combine with flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of baking soda (half a teaspoon).
2. In a separate bowl, cut the butter into small cubes, add both sugars, and mix until the mixture is grainy.
3. Add the whole egg and mix well.
4. Add a pinch of salt and continue mixing.
5. Add the honey and mix until smooth, soft, and fluffy.
6. Add one third of the spiced flour mixture and mix until incorporated, then add the remaining flour and use a spatula to achieve a crumbly dough.
7. Transfer the dough to a work surface and quickly knead just until it comes together without overworking.
8. Place the dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll to about 0.5 cm thickness. Refrigerate for about 1.5 hours.
9. After resting, dust the dough with flour and roll it out to 2–3 mm thickness.
10. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters.
11. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
12. Return to the oven and bake for another 4 minutes. Remove and let cool completely on a wire rack.
13. For scraps, gather them, re-roll, and chill again before cutting.
14. Prepare a piping cone from parchment paper: cut a square of parchment to form two triangles, then roll into a cone shape and fold to secure.
15. Prepare royal icing: weigh the egg white. Weigh out five times that weight in powdered sugar. Add the lemon juice (¼ of a lemon). Gradually add the sugar while whisking until the desired consistency is reached.
16. Fill the piping cone with royal icing, snip off the tip, and decorate the cookies as desired.