Gingerbread Men and Women

Christmas isn’t Christmas till it happens in your heart, Somewhere deep inside you is where Christmas really starts, So give your heart to Jesus you’ll discover when you do,  That it’s Christmas, really Christmas for you.”

I love this Christmas carol, so heart warming and meaningful for me. Christmas is not about Christmas trees, Santa Claus, merry-making, loads of presents etc… but all about Jesus, it is not X’mas but Christmas. Christmas tradition accumulated through the centuries, some are meaningful, some are not, some are plainly money-making schemes. As for me, Christmas is very special not because I have a good reason to cook but I look forward to spend precious holiday time with family and friends, especially those so dear to my heart. One of those traditions I hold so very dear to my heart is time spent making Christmas cookies and gingerbread men. Don’t ask me why … it’s just me.

If you have seen my earlier post, I conducted 2 workshops on this Christmas cookie and Gingerbread men. I have the recipe posted below as a Christmas gift to all of you! Try it next year cos the children in my workshop could make them … I am certain you can too.

You’ll be surprise how long you can keep these little tough men. They can be consumed up to 1 month if kept in an airtight container in the fridge. A wonderful treat with piping hot coffee in the morning after a peaceful night rest.

Home-made Gingerbread Men (20 pcs – 12cm cutter)

Cookie dough Ingredients

125 gm unsalted butter (room temperature)
60 gm brown sugar
90 gm molasses or golden syrup
1 egg
300 gm all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp soda bicarbonate

Method

1. Preheat oven at 180 degree celsius.
2. Beat butter, sugar and syrup till light and creamy. Add egg.
3. Sieve flour into the butter mixture and knead 2 minutes.
4. Take out and shape into a flat dough.
5. Cling wrap the dough and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
6. Take out and put dough in between 2 pieces of greaseproof paper and roll into desired thickness.
7. Cut into gingerbread man shape and transfer onto baking sheets.
8. Bake for 8 minutes or until slightly brown.

Icing

1 egg white
280 gm icing sugar (sifted)

Method

1. Wash and dry mixing bowl to remove any oil.
2. Beat egg white with a fork until foamy.
3. Add icing sugar in gradually.
4. Beat till icing stand in soft peaks.
5. Divide into bowls.
6. Pipe using disposable paper piping bags.
7. pipe icing over the cooled cookies.