Antique treen  19th century gingerbread moulds ranging from £195 - £295.
We currently have these lovely three gingermoulds in stock, if you require any further information please let us know.
 
The centre one is a lovely 19th century gingerbread mould depicting a king and queen. Well carved with a hanging ring to the back so it can be hung on the wall. It measures 59cm l x 12.5cm w x 3cm d Price £265.
 
During the 16th, 17th and 18th century gingerbread recipes were based on either a dense dough made from breadcrumbs or a ground almond paste mixed with spices etc rather than the use of flour. Gingerbreads could be gilded or red, the red colour coming from the red sandelwood tree. In fact the red colour was so popular in the 16th century that a guild of beaters actually existed  to grind the red sandelwood to powder.
Recipes from the 16th century  for the dough include  breadcrumbs, liquorice/aniseed ginger, forming a stiff dough which was placed in the gingerbread mould, the gingerbread mould  had previously been sprinkled with a powder of liquorice and aniseed to prevent sticking.
The other type of gingerbread popular during the 16th-18th centurywas based on ground almonds,dates,ginger and aniseed. The paste was placed onto the gingerbread mould which had been sprinkled with ginger powder or cinnamon to prevent sticking.
The gingerbreads were then left to dry in front of the fire until they were hard, they  were not baked in an oven.  Gingerbread could then be stored in boxes where they could be kept for upto a year. This continued into the 18th century in the North of England. But by the 18th century in London gingerbread recipes had flour and sugar eggs, treacle, ginger and lemons and the gingerbread was baked, much like todays recipes.