If you’re fussy like me and cannot eat gingerbread that is too much like cake, or the polar opposite, teeth-breaking kind, then read on for the perfect mix. I make this Donna Hay recipe year after year and the little gems are actually consumed, not thrown away with the horrible hamper items (don’t get me started on bad hampers). Have some fun with the decoration and don’t be afraid to hand the piping bag over to the kids!
Gingerbread Mix
1/4 cup (90g) brown sugar
2 & 1/2 cups (375g) plain flour, sifted
2 teaspoons ground ginger, sifted
1 teaspoon bicarb of baking soda.
Place all of these dry ingredients in a bowl and mix. For a unique gift, store the mix in a Chrsitmas-themed airtight jar and give the jar plus the remainder of the recipe to a friend. It can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to 1 month.
Gingerbread Men
1 quantity Gingerbread mix, as above
125g butter, chopped
2/3 cup (230g) golden syrup
1/2 cup (80g) icing sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons hot water
Preheat the over to 180 degrees. Place 3/4 of the gingerbread mix, butter and golden syrup into the bowl of a food processor and process until a smooth dough forms. You want quite a wet dough so add the dry mix in stages. It’s hard to describe, but you want the dough to be only just coming together rather than rolling around your food processor in a big ball.
Divide the dough into 2 pieces and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 mins and DO NOT wander off to start another job and come back to the dough hours later – it will take forever to relax.
Roll out the dough either between two sheets of baking paper or the old-fashioned, flour-covered rolling pin way. It will want to be about 4-5mm thick. Use floured gingerbread man cutters to cut shapes from the dough. Place on baking trays lined with baking paper and bake for 8 mins or until golden. If you have a fan-forced oven like me, check on them at 6 mins. Be attentive, this is make or break (your teeth) time.
Allow to cool before adding the icing decoration. Mix the icing sugar with the water and place in a piping bag with a very small nozzle. Pipe away! I’m a piping novice so mine look rather plain and I didn’t add any cachous etc…for fear of my 2-year-old choking (Olive inhales her food!)
Enjoy x