Run, run as fast as you can...!
I came across a gingerbread man cutter that I had bought last year and 'safely' stored away for a rainy day when I needed to bake. Well, that day never came last year, but yesterday it did.
I have always struggled to find a recipe that gives those lovely crisp, snappy biscuits. You know, the ones that you really have to bite and when you do, it makes a snapping sound and you can crunch, crunch, crunch your way through the rest. Perfect!
However, in searching out a recipe, I came across Jamie Oliver's recipe for gingerbread people. My perfect recipe, it turns out!
Snappy Gingerbread Men
300g plain flour
1 tsp bicarb of soda
2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
125g butter - I used slightly salted, although the recipe states unsalted. you decide...
100g soft brown sugar
3 tbsp golden syrup (or maybe a bit over...)
Heat oven to 180°C or equivalent.
Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl
Melt the butter, sugar and syrup in a pan over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix to a firm dough.
The dough will be warm and feel oily, that's OK. In fact, it can be worked much better warm. Bear this I mind if making later batches. Don't pop it in the fridge for later. If you do, you will need to work the dough until warm again or you will have a crumble topping - now there's a thought!
Cut two pieces of baking paper to fit your baking tray. Lay these out on a work surface (not on tray). Cut the dough in half and roll out each half on the baking paper.
Use your cutter to cut out the gingerbread men, but do not lift off the paper. remove the excess only and re-roll either on this baking paper or another sheet. I used the baking paper twice because it was my last piece on the roll. I baked each set and then re-used the paper.
Roll out to about 5mm thick.
Once the excess is removed, slide the paper onto the baking tray carefully and place in oven. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes until golden. Take care to watch them after 10 minutes so they don't burn at the edges or underneath - especially the second batch.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool briefly on the baking tray before sliding onto a cooling rack (still on the baking paper). Remove from baking paper once cool - this doesn't take long - and cool completely before storing. Well, I say storing, but they might not make it that far! Watch they don't run away! 😉
I have always struggled to find a recipe that gives those lovely crisp, snappy biscuits. You know, the ones that you really have to bite and when you do, it makes a snapping sound and you can crunch, crunch, crunch your way through the rest. Perfect!
However, in searching out a recipe, I came across Jamie Oliver's recipe for gingerbread people. My perfect recipe, it turns out!
Snappy Gingerbread Men
300g plain flour
1 tsp bicarb of soda
2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
125g butter - I used slightly salted, although the recipe states unsalted. you decide...
100g soft brown sugar
3 tbsp golden syrup (or maybe a bit over...)
Heat oven to 180°C or equivalent.
Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl
Melt the butter, sugar and syrup in a pan over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix to a firm dough.
The dough will be warm and feel oily, that's OK. In fact, it can be worked much better warm. Bear this I mind if making later batches. Don't pop it in the fridge for later. If you do, you will need to work the dough until warm again or you will have a crumble topping - now there's a thought!
Cut two pieces of baking paper to fit your baking tray. Lay these out on a work surface (not on tray). Cut the dough in half and roll out each half on the baking paper.
Use your cutter to cut out the gingerbread men, but do not lift off the paper. remove the excess only and re-roll either on this baking paper or another sheet. I used the baking paper twice because it was my last piece on the roll. I baked each set and then re-used the paper.
Roll out to about 5mm thick.
Once the excess is removed, slide the paper onto the baking tray carefully and place in oven. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes until golden. Take care to watch them after 10 minutes so they don't burn at the edges or underneath - especially the second batch.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool briefly on the baking tray before sliding onto a cooling rack (still on the baking paper). Remove from baking paper once cool - this doesn't take long - and cool completely before storing. Well, I say storing, but they might not make it that far! Watch they don't run away! 😉
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