Gingerbread Slices

INSTRUCTIONS

• 1
  Line a baking dish measuring 25 x 30 cm with baking paper and start preheating the oven to 160 degrees.
• 2
  In a mortar, thoroughly crush the cloves, allspice, anise or fennel, pepper, the insides of cardamom pods, and star anise seeds (the insides of the stars). Sift the crushed spices through a sieve and discard any coarse, uncrushable pieces. Mix the blend with ground cinnamon and grated nutmeg.
• 3
  In a bowl, whisk together both flours, gingerbread spices, a pinch of salt, cocoa, baking powder, sugar, and vanilla sugar.
• 4
  In another bowl, measure out the plum jam, gradually add milk and whisk. Add both eggs and oil, whisk again, and finally pour into the dry ingredients. Mix together into a batter, but only very briefly, just until everything is combined, no more.
• 5
  Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish, place in the warm oven, and bake for 40-45 minutes until the center of the batter is firm, springy, and does not collapse under finger pressure.
• 6
  Let the baked gingerbread cool in the baking dish for 10 minutes, then remove it with the paper onto a rack and wait until it completely cools.
• 7
  Horizontally cut the cake base roughly in half, spread two-thirds of the jam and reassemble. Lightly spread the remaining jam over the surface of the gingerbread. You can gently warm the jam to make it easier to spread.
• 8
  For the chocolate glaze, measure sugar and water into a saucepan, bring to a boil, and cook for 5 minutes without stirring, slowly and gently, not rapidly and vigorously. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Into the warm, but not hot, sugar syrup, throw in the finely broken chocolate and stir vigorously until it melts and everything combines into a smooth, thick glaze. Pour this glaze over the gingerbread and let it set.
• 9
  Once set, cut into slices – it's best done with a heated, clean knife: after each cut, dip the knife in hot water, wash it, dry it, and only then continue cutting.