Gingerbread Man

This recipe is great to make for Christmas parties if you are inviting older children. Get a couple of tubes of ready-made icing and let their imagination run wild!


Ingredients

125g unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup unsulfured molasses (available at Cold Storage)
1 egg, slightly beaten
280g plain flour
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/3 tsp baking powder


Method

1. Cream the butter, sugar and molasses in a mixer until light and fluffy.
Add in the egg gradually, beating well after each addition.

2. Combine the dry ingredients, mix well, then sift into the butter mixture.
Mix with a spatula until just combined.

3. Knead the dough lightly with your hands until smooth (1-2 minutes).
Rough out the dough between 2 sheets of baking paper to 5mm thickness.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour until slightly firm.

4. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.

5. Line baking tray with baking paper.

6. Cut the dough with a gingerbread man cutter and place shapes on the baking tray.
Gather the remaining dough, and reroll, then cut.

7. Bake for 8-10 minutes until lightly browned.
Leave to cool completely.


Storage
Stores in an airtight container for up to 3 days.




To make your own icing
Beat 1 egg white with electric mixer until foamy.
Gradually add in 1/2 tsp of lemon juice and 155g icing sugar until thick and creamy.
Divide icing in several bowls and tint with food colourings.
Wait till icing is completely dry before storage.