Ok so I know I have been slack. I have literally had NO spare time to bake over the festive season (did I mention working full-time and being a mum is incredibly busy??? ok, just checking ;). However, coming up to Christmas, I was determined to bake gingerbread men to give to friends and family. To be honest, I could not tell you the last time I had eaten a gingerbread man myself but it was a long time ago. For me personally I like a crunchy little man who is a little bit softer in the middle and these little men lived up to my expectations. They were scrumptious and just as I had remembered getting from the bakery all those years ago. The ginger flavour was just perfect and the addition of white chocolate and m & m’s for decorating? well what can I say but YUM!
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas surrounded by your loved ones and overindulged in the delicious food just like I did. I decided to host our family Christmas this year and I must admit I was pretty impressed with the result! We just had a small gathering of immediate family as the rest of my family are back in New Zealand but it was a lovely day filled with beautiful presents, food, laughter and then naps for all of us! haha. Finn was totally spoilt of course (that kid does not need any more toys!) but was still a bit young to know what was going on. However, he managed to open a present all by himself. And I don’t think I have told you but the little tike is now walking and it is ADORABLE. Although, I bawled my eyes out the first time he did it because I realised my baby is growing up. Where did the year go? It seems like it flashed from him being a baby to a toddler in the blink on an eye. It’s bittersweet but I look forward to watching him grow and enjoying him at every stage. He is just perfection (much like my gingerbread men) and here’s the recipe for you all. I wish you ALL a fantastic New Year and hope that 2014 brings you wonderful moments and is filled with happiness. I will see you all in the New Year with more delicious recipes!
Gingerbread men
Ingredients:
125g butter, softened
2/3 cup of brown sugar
1/4 cup of maple syrup
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 1/2 cups of plain flour
1/2 tsp of baking soda
1 Tbsp of ground ginger (I always add a dash more because I lurrrve ginger!)
2 tsp of ground cinnamon
white chocolate and m & m’s for decoration
Method:
1. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add maple syrup and the egg and combine.
2. Sift flour, baking soda, ginger and cinnamon over the butter mixture. Using a spoon, stir until JUST combined and a soft dough forms. Place dough on a lightly floured surface.
3. Knead the dough gently until smooth and shape in to a disc. Wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate for an hour.l
4. Pre-heat oven to 180 C (160 fan-forced). Line three trays with baking paper. Roll dough out to 5mm thick. Place your gingerbread cutters in to the dough to cut shapes. Re-roll dough and continue cutting shapes until you have finished the dough. Place 2cm apart on the baking tray so they do not mix in to one another.
5. Bake each tray one at a time for 15-20mins or until golden and just firm to touch (keep an eye on them as mine cooked quickly). Allow to cool for 5mins before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.
6. Meanwhile melt white chocolate in microwave-safe bowl 30 seconds at a time, stirring each time until it is melted. Using a piping bag, pipe dots of chocolate on to the cooled gingerbread men for buttons and place an m & m on top of the melted chocolate to set. Pipe on faces and your desired decoration and allow to set before eating or moving to a tin.
Enjoy! x
My little man on Christmas Day with his new present! (He has a nappy on!) x
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