Tula gingerbread

Ingredients:

 honey 5 tbsp
wheat flour 500-600 g
sugar 200 g
butter 125 g
eggs 2 pcs
baking soda 1 tsp
ground cinnamon 1 tbsp
powdered sugar (for icing) 5 tbsp
milk (for icing) 2 tbsp
thick jam or preserve for filling

Preparation:
In a deep bowl or pot, pour in the granulated sugar, add honey and eggs.

Mix well. Add butter or margarine (cut into pieces), sprinkle in the cinnamon.

Place the pot with the ingredients over a double boiler and heat, stirring constantly until the sugar and butter are completely dissolved. Add the baking soda (do not extinguish!) and quickly mix the mixture (it should turn white and increase in volume). Immediately remove from the double boiler.

Immediately, into the hot mixture, add 3-4 tbsp of flour and stir. Allow the mixture to cool to a warm state. Gradually add the remaining flour (you may need more or less flour). Knead a very soft, tender, slightly sticky dough. Do not add more flour, or the cookies will be tough.

Let the dough rest for 15-20 minutes. Roll out the dough into a sheet, adding a little flour. Then, cut out cookies in any shape you like: rectangular, round, in the shape of figures, etc. Cut out 2 identical pieces. In the center of one, place the jam or preserve, cover with the second piece, and press the edges together.

Carefully place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Then decorate as your imagination suggests: with figures, flowers, letters made from the same dough.

Bake the cookies at 180 degrees for 15-20 minutes - until golden brown. Brush the hot cookies with icing, and let cool completely. Icing: mix milk with powdered sugar. Boil over low heat for 3-4 minutes. You need to apply it very quickly, otherwise the icing will set.

Enjoy your meal!