Gingerbread People

Chef floWer's Note:

These were made last year for the Zaar gingerbread contest (http://www.recipezaar.com/bb/viewtopic.zsp?t=185564) and it's been a year since I got around to posting them. You may decorate them as you please or even leave them plain. I wrapped a few individually in clear wrap last year and gave a few away as little gifts. Recipe does not include 10 minutes chilling time.

• Total Time: 40 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 20 gingerb ...

• 125 g butter
• 1/2 cup golden syrup
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 3 cups plain flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Decoration

• prepared icing, comes in pre-made tubes for cake decoration (any colour)
• silver cachous (optional)
• licorice (optional)
• red-coloured marzipan (optional)

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C/350°F/Mark 4.
2. Line three baking trays with baking paper. Set aside.
3. In a microwave-proof bowl, heat butter, golden syrup and brown sugar for one minute until butter has melted. Stir. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, sift flour, cinnamon, ground ginger and bicarbonate of soda. Mix dried ingredients then pour in melted butter, golden syrup and sugar with dried ingredients. Then add egg and vanilla essence, mix everything well and then press together to form a dough. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in fridge for 10 minutes.
5. Knead dough lightly on a floured surface. Roll dough to a 5 mm thickness. Cut shapes with a ginger bread cutters.
6. Place on greased trays. Bake for 10 minutes, until lightly brown. Remove from oven and allow them to cool down on trays before removing them.
7. Once completely cooled, decorate gingerbread with prepared icing and silver cachous or what ever you please.
8. You can decorate the gingerbread person with prepared icing and silver cachous or you can make a Santa suit with rolled out red marzipan and cut Santa boots from licorice.

Reviews

[Aaliyah's&Aaron'sMum]

Update: I have made this recipe several times now, and recently at a baking activity class, everybody loved it! Dec 15, '07: DD LOVED it and so did we! She helped me make the dough which was easy to work with.. and she helped me cut the cookies out. I left it plain since I didn't have the time (and I was being lazy :)). Thank you, Chef floWer, for sharing this wonderful recipe!

[Stardustannie]

These produce a lovely textured cookie. The flavour is light...perfect for children who arn't that keen on a strong ginger taste. We used choc chips for eyes and red & green M & M's for buttons. They are easy enough for kids to make with a little assistance.