Kane's Kitchen - 6th December 2011 - Gingerbread Men / Women / Trees / Stars

Gingerbread Men / Women / Trees / Stars

Makes:  20   

Prep Time:  20 mins

Cook Time:  10 mins

What You’ll Need:

• 125g butter, chopped, at room temperature
• ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
• ½ cup golden syrup
• 1 egg, separated (use the yolk for the gingerbread and the white for the icing)
• 2½ cups plain flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tbsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• Smarties, M&Ms, lollies, to decorate
• Gingerbread men / women / tree / star cutters

 Royal Icing

·         1 eggwhite

·         1¼ cups pure icing sugar, sifted

·         ½ tsp lemon juice

·         Food colourings, if desired

What You’ll Need To Do:

1.        Preheat oven to 180C.  Sift the flour, ginger, mixed spice and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl.

2.        Use an electric beater to beat the butter and sugar in a bowl until pale and creamy.  Add the golden syrup and egg yolk and beat until well combined. Stir in the flour mixture and combine.

3.        Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth.  Press the dough into a disc, cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 30 mins to rest (over 1 hour is preferable).

4.        Meanwhile, place the egg white in a clean bowl and use an electric beater to beat until soft peaks form.  Gradually add the icing sugar and lemon juice and beat until stiff.  Divide icing among three bowls and add desired food colourings.  Cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge.

5.        Grease two baking trays.  Place the rested dough between two sheets of baking paper and roll out until 5mm thick.   Use a 9cm gingerbread cutter (or whatever cutter you prefer) to cut the dough into shapes.  Place on greased trays 3cm apart. 

6.        Bake in oven for 10 minutes or until brown.  Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack to finish the cooling process. 

7.        Using a piping bag (or small plastic bags with a hole cut in the corner of each bag), pipe icing onto gingerbread men to decorate.  Finish with smarties / lollies.