Gingerbread Men

Gingerbread men were probably one of the first things I ever baked on my own, I made a big box for each of my grandmas for Christmas. I can’t remember how old I was, but I have made gingerbread every Christmas since.

I love this recipe, I use it every single time I make gingerbread. It's super easy and doesn't even matter how many times you re-roll the dough, the cookies always turn out perfect. The beautiful biscuits book is probably the oldest cookbook I own, well actually I think I stole it from my Mum, I hope she doesn't mind.

This year my gingerbread men look a little different, they have had an unfortunate encounter with some hungry mouths.

This little guy is as happy as a gingerbread man can be.


Safe to say this guy is disappointed and more than a little bit cranky that someone decided to eat his leg.


And this little guy, well he is just plain shocked!!


Gingerbread Men
(From Womens Weekly, The Big Book of Beautiful Biscuits)

125 grams butter
½ cup brown sugar (firmly packed)
1 egg yolk
2 ½ cups plain flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 teaspoons ground ginger
2 ½ tablespoons golden syrup

To make the cookies- Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, add egg yolk and beat well.

Gradually add sifted dry ingredients and golden syrup, mix until all ingredients are incorporated.

Knead dough lightly and divide into six pieces.


Roll out each portion of gingerbread dough in between 2 sheets of baking paper, dough should be about 3mm thick.

Preheat oven to 180 degrees c.

Cut out the gingerbread figures, using a small flower shaped cutter cut off arms or legs to look like bite marks.


Remove any excess dough from around the cut-out figures.


Transfer the baking paper and cookie cut-out onto a baking tray, bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on tray.

Royal Icing

1 cup icing sugar
1 tablespoon meringue powder
water

To make the Royal Icing- In a small bowl mix together icing sugar, meringue powder and a little water at a time to form a think paste. Continue mixing until icing is smooth.

Using a fine piping tip, pipe on faces, arm and leg squiggles and buttons. Press candy buttons onto royal icing.


Now it's time to finish what someone started, Umm Nom Nom...