First holiday goal compete - Gingerbread men

Although its not Christmas, I completed my first holiday goal of creating some Gingerbread men.

At Christmas time I love to be extravagant, and create an entire creation of a Gingerbread house. However because it's not Christmas, I thought I could settle with making something a little toned down.

Making Gingerbread men is fun and easy. You can make a number of different sizes and shapes, and it doesn't even take that long to make.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Time to cook: 10 minutes

All you need is: (to make 25 average sized men)

1/2 golden syrup

2 1/2 cup Plain Flour

1 tsp bicarb Soda

125g butter (room temperature)

1/2 cup Brown sugar

1 egg separated

tbs ground ginger

tsp nutmeg

tsp cinnamon

Royal icing:

egg whites (from the separated egg)

1 cup icing sugar (can vary)

Food dye, any colour (amount varies, for me usually 3 drops)

Icing- for when you drop the egg whites, or accidentally throw them out:

2 tsp butter

tbs milk

1 cup icing sugar

method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius

2. Beat the butter and brown sugar with wooden spoon or electric beater, until creamy

3. Beat in egg and golden syrup until combined

4. Add flour, and use a wooden spoon and your hand to fold into the mixture along with the cinnamon, 5.ginger, and nutmeg

6. Then pack in tight ball, wrap in glad wrap, and place in fridge for 30min

7. Meanwhile, make the icing, by putting the icing sugar in a bowl and gradually adding the egg whites (or milk and softened butter) and food dye, until thick but not dry.

8. After 30 minutes in the fridge, Dust some flour over a flat surface/bench top, take out the gingerbread and roll out into a 4-5mm thick disc, to cut shapes out with your cookie cutters

9. Place in oven for 10 minutes (keep an eye on them through out)

10. After 10 minutes take them out and wait till they're cool. Then decorate with the icing. You can use a piping bag, or Zip lock bag with a small whole in the corner.

Enjoy!

Ingredients needed to make the gingerbread


Butter and brown sugar combined


Separated egg


Egg yolk and golden syrup added



Flour and Spices added



Flouring surface for rolling

Put in a ball in glad rap to be placed in the fridge

 Cookie cutting time

Some of the cookies on the greased trays to be put in the oven

Fresh baked Cookies

Iced Gingerbread men

Some close up faces

Icing out in a zip lock bag. If you want to save plastic you could put two in one like i've done here

Pipin' away