Delicious UK - (11)November 2020

Gingerbreadpeople

MAKESABOUT 10 L ARGEAND 12 SMALL

BISCUITS.HANDS-ONTIME 30 MIN,

OVENTIME 30 MIN,PLUSCHILLING,

DECORATING AND SETTING

MAKE

AHEAD

Storethedecoratedbiscuits

ina caketinforupto

2 weeks– theycanturna

bit soggy in an airtight container.

• 1 quantitymastergingerbread
  dough,rolledandchilled


• 1 quantity master royal icing

YOU’LLALSONEED...

• Gingerbreadpeoplebiscuit
  cutters(weused13cmx 10.5cm
  and12.5cmx 10.5cm);2 baking
  sheetslinedwithcompostable
  bakingpaper;pipingbagfitted
  with no. 2 plain nozzle

1 Heattheovento180°C/160°Cfan/

gas4.Taketherolleddough,putit

onthepreparedbakingsheetsand,

usingthecutters,cutoutthe

biscuitswitha 2cmgapbetween

each,peelingoffthetrimmingsand

re-rollingbeforecuttingoutas

needed(seebakingtips,above).Chill

for 30 minutesoruntilveryfirm.

2 Bakeinbatchesfor10-12minutes

untillightlygolden.Propupthe

biscuitstogetheronthesheetsfor

10 minutestocoolslightly,then

transfertoa wireracktocool

completely.Scooptheroyalicing

intothepipingbaganddecorate

thegingerbreadpeopleasshown,

thenleavetosetfor2 hours.

PERBISCUIT332kcals,9.5gfat

(5.7gsaturated),4.2gprotein,

56.6gcarbs(32.1gsugars),

0.2g salt, 1.4g fibre →

MASTERRECIPES
Thegingerbreaddough,
royalicingandicingglue
MAKES1 QUANTIT YOFEACH.HANDS-ON
TIME 20 MIN, PLUS CHILLING

MAKE

AHEAD

Thedoughwillkeep,

coveredandchilled, for up

to 24 hours.

FOOD

TEAM’S

TIP

Lightlywhisk,thenfreeze
theunusedeggyolkswith
a pinchofsugarorsaltfor
upto3 months.Defrost to use in
other recipes.

• 375gplainflour,plusextrato dust


• ½tspbicarbonateofsoda


• 1½tbspgroundginger


• 150gdarkbrownsugar


• 125gunsaltedbutter,softened


• 1 mediumfree-rangeegg, beaten


• 5 tbsp golden syrup

FORTHEROYALICING

• 1 mediumfree-rangeegg white
  (seefoodteam’stip)


• 200g icing sugar, sifted

FORTHEICINGGLUE

• 1 mediumfree-rangeegg white
  (seefoodteam’stip)


• 180g icing sugar, sifted

YOU’LLALSONEED...

• Foodprocessor;plentyof
  compostable baking paper

1 Tomakethegingerbreaddough,

whizztheflour,bicarb,ginger,

sugarandbutterina foodprocessor

untilthemixresemblesfine

breadcrumbs.Addtheeggand

goldensyrup,thenpulseuntil

themixturejustcomestogether.

Transfertoa worksurfaceand

shapeintoa roughball.Wrap,

thenchillfor1 houroruntilfirm.

2 Dustthedoughwithflourandroll

between2 sheetsofbakingpaperto

3mmthick(youmightfindthedough

easiertoworkwithif youdivideit in

two).Chillfor 30 minutes,thenit’s

readytocut(seebakingtips,right)

andbakeasperindividualrecipes.

3 Meanwhile,maketheroyalicing

(usedforpipingondetails).Lightly

whisktheeggwhiteina small

mixingbowl.Graduallyaddtheicing

sugar,beatinguntilthick,smooth

andcombined.Youmayneedtoadd

½tspwater(alsoseebakingtips).

4 Maketherunniericingglue(used

forglueingandflooding)asabove–

again,youmayneedtoadd½tsp

water (also see baking tips).

RECIPES: PHOEBE WOOD, DOMINIC SMITH, HELENA MOURSELLAS. PHOTOGRAPHS: BEN DEARNLEY. STYLING: KIRSTEN JENKINS

NEED-TO-KNOWTIPSFROM

OURBAKINGEXPERTS

Workingwiththisgingerbread,icingand

house-assemblycanbetricky,andyouneed

a bitofpatienceatkeymoments.Here’s our

advicefora professionalfinish:

✶Cutoutthegingerbreadpeopleandtree

shapesonthebakingsheets,thenyouwon’t

needtomovethemandriskdistortingthem.

✶If thedoughisgettingtoosofttohandle,

wrapandputinthefreezerfor5-10minutes

tofirmupagainbeforere-rolling.

✶Usinga pizzawheelwillhelpkeepstraight

edgeswhencutting/trimmingthegingerbread.

✶Adda dotoffoodcolouringorflavouring

toyouricingsfora colourful or tasty twist,

ifyouwantto.

✶Leftovericingwillkeepwellinthepiping

bags(butputa dampclothoverthenozzle

end).It canbeusedtodecorateanyother

cakesorbiscuitsyou’remaking.

✶Usetinsofbeans/pulsesorcaketinsto

helppropupthewallsandroofs of the houses

when leaving them to set.