I was told that gingerbread batter should be left in the fridge to ripen for around a month, but preferably longer. What exactly happens when it matures, and why it doesn’t go bad?

Question

UPDATE:

People are either screwing with me (though I asked people who don’t know one another so it’s highly unlikely) and they consistently say that they either never heard of that or that it should be 3-4 weeks maturation time. Primarily because honey and some spices have antibacterial features, so it doesn’t go bad

In: 1305

Answer 1

At this rate, with this many people going back and forth about this…I think your best bet is to make two batches and do them each one one way. Take one and follow what you said in another comment your mother told you to do. If you grew up eating her cookies, you want to emulate her for them to feel homey. Take the other batch, and just cook it straight away. Maybe nothing happens, maybe it goes to shit, maybe its a phenomenal secret. Cooking is fun. Just have fun with it.