gingerbread men

 

I love making gingerbread men with children, it is so much fun decorating them afterwards.  I use honey instead of golden syrup or treacle, it adds a different slant to the taste and is healthier.

Ingredients;

125g cold butter diced

350g plain flour

1 tsp bicarb of soda

2 tsp ground ginger

175g light soft brown sugar

4 tbsp honey

1 medium egg beaten

icing, food colouring, smarties, decorative bits

Method;

  • Lightly grease three baking sheets with butter.
  • Sift the flour, bicarb of soda and ginger into a mixing bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
  • Stir in the sugar.
  • Beat the honey with the egg, then stir into the flour mixture to make a dough. Knead until smooth, divide in half and wrap in cling film. Chill for 30 mins.
  • Preheat the oven to 190 (170 fan oven) mark 5. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and cut in half.
  • Roll out each half until about 5mm (1/4 inch) thick.
  • Using a gingerbread man cutter cut out shapes and re-roll and repeat until all the dough is used.
  • Place the gingerbread men on the prepared baking sheets.
  • Bake for 12-15 mins until golden brown. Leave to cool slightly then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
  • When the gingerbread has cooled completely you are ready to decorate. I make up a couple of bowls of coloured icing, a couple of bowls of sweets and let my children make up their own designs.

*Store in an airtight container, they will keep up to a week.