Women's Weekly Food

GINGERBREAD DOUGHPREP TIME20 MINUTES (+ REFRIGERATION)MAKES 3 0 MEDIUM-SIZED BISCUITS125g butter, softened½ cup(110g)firmly packedbrown sugar1 egg yolk2¾ cups(405g) plain flour1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda3 teaspoons ground ginger½ cup (125ml) golden syrupor treacleBeat butter and sugar in a largebowl with an electric mixer untilcombined. Beat in egg yolk. Stirin sifted dry ingredients and goldensyrup to form a soft dough. Kneaddough on a floured surface untilsmooth. Divide dough in half.Enclose in plastic wrap andrefrigerate for 1 hour.ROYAL ICING1 egg white1½ cups (240g) icing sugar,approximatelyBeat egg white in a small bowl with anelectric mixer until frothy. Graduallybeat in enough sifted icing sugaruntil mixture is a piping consistency.Keep icing covered with a damptea towel to prevent it drying out.GINGERBREADGIFTTAGSPREP + COOK TIME1 HOUR 3 0 MINUTES(+ REFRIGERATION) MAKES 24``````Make Gingerbread dough (recipe left).Roll dough out until 3mm thick. Usinga sharp pointed knife, cut out a totalof 24 square and hexagonal shapes.Place on trays 3cm apart. Refrigeratefor 30 minutes. Press a hole in eachwith a chopstick. Bake for 10 minutes.(You may need to re−press holeswhile gingerbread is still warm.)Cool. Decorate with royal icing(recipe left), using picture on page58 as a guide, and thread with ribbon.``````GINGERBREAD HOUSESPREP + COOK TIME1 HOUR 3 0 MINUTES(+ REFRIGERATION) MAKES 26``````Make Gingerbread dough (recipeleft). Roll dough out until 3mm thick.Cut 39 squares using a 5cm cardboardtemplate. Cut 13 squares in half toform triangles.Place squares on trays3cm apart, then top with a triangle toform a house shape, pressing to join.Bake for 10 minutes or until golden.Decorate with royal icing (recipe left),using picture on page 59 as a guide.``````GINGERBREAD FOLKPREP + COOK TIME1 HOUR 3 0 MINUTES(+ REFRIGERATION) MAKES 30``````Make Gingerbread dough (recipeleft). Roll dough out until 3mm thick.Cut out 30 shapes using 8cm and 11cmgingerbread−man cutters. Re−rollscraps until all used. Place on trays3cm apart. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.Bake for 10 minutes or until lightgolden brown. When cool, decoratewith royal icing (recipe left), usingpicture on page 59 as a guide.``````WHITE CHRISTMASPREP + COOK TIME20 MINUTES(+ REFRIGERATION) MAKES 3 2 SQUARES``````500ggood−quality white chocolate,chopped coarsely1 cup (35g) rice bubbles1 cup(160g) sultanas1 cup (140g)macadamias, roasted,chopped coarsely1 cup (160g) finely choppeddried apricots1 cup (130g) dried sweetenedcranberries¾ cup (105g) pistachios, roasted,chopped coarsely1 teaspoon ground cardamom``````1 Grease a 20cm x 30cmrectangular slice pan. Line baseand long sides with baking paper,extending paper 5cm over sides.2 Melt chocolate in a largeheatproof bowl over a large saucepanof simmering water (don’t let watertouch base of bowl). Remove fromheat, then quickly stir in theremaining ingredients.3 Press mixture firmly into pan.Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm.Cut into 32 squares to serve.COOK’SNOTESGINGERBREADBiscuits will keep in an airtightcontainer at room temperaturefor up to 2 weeks.Deck The Halls Kids