Tis the season to make gingerbread, and the munchkin is loving it. He can say gingerbread very well, and even helped me make the last batch. I let him do some pouring and button pressing.

Gingerbread

• 250g butter (at room temp, so it is soft and squishy)
• 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup golden syrup (you could try maple syrup or molassas if you can’t get this)
• 2 eggs
• 3 tbs minced ginger (or 1 1/2 tbs ground ginger, but I think the real stuff gives it a better flavour)
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves (try cinnamon if you don’t have this)
• 1 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda (leave out if you are using self-raising flour instead of plain)
• 5 cups plain flour

I use my trusty food processor to make this because I don’t have a mixer (I’m drooling over a Kitchen Aid Machine at the moment) and I’m too lazy to mix it by hand!

I didn’t get any pics of the mixing, but I might add them when I make the next batch.

1. Dump the block of butter into the food processor and give it a wizz.
2. Add the sugar, and wizz again.
3. Add the syrup and wizz some more.
4. Add an egg, wizz. Add the other egg and wizz some more.
5. Add the spices (ginger, cloves), and bicarb – you guessed it – wizz!
6. Add 1 cup of flour and wizz until it is completely mixed in, repeat cup by cup (if your machine starts to sound unhappy, you should remove the dough and mix the rest of the flour in by hand).
7. Kneed the dough until smooth.
8. Wrap in plastic and refridgerate for 30mins, it should still be soft to the touch – if it goes hard leave it out on the bench for 5-10mins until it softens enough you can poke holes in it.  
9. Pre-heat oven to 180C
10. Roll the dough (approx 1/4 at a time) out on a floured surface to approx 5mm thick and then cut into shapes.
11. Place gingerbread shapes on a greased cookie tray and bake in the oven for 10-15mins.
12. Cool on a wire rack and store in an airtight container.

I find that the lemon of the icing compliments the gingerbread extremely well, and helps to preserve it even more, especially if you are planning on hanging them on the tree. Just beware large two-legged mice may nibble on them as they walk past The icing also gives it a pretty white glow, and hides all the imperfections of the cookie.

Icing

• 2 cups Icing mix (icing sugar with a little cornstarch added)
• 3 tbs lemon juice

1. Find a large jug that the gingerbread shapes will fit right into.
2. Add 2 cups of icing mix.
3. Add 3 tbs of lemon juice. (if you prefer your icing to be less see through then reduce the amount of lemon juice.)
4. Mix well, the lemon juice will disolve the icing mix, and you will end up with approx 1 cup of liquid.
5. Fill the sink with a couple of inches of water, put 3 cups or mugs in the bottom and place a wire rack on top. This makes cleanup much easier and stops the ants getting to it.  
6. Completely submerge the gingerbread in the icing, and then remove and allow to drain a little. Then place on the wire rack to dry.  
7. Once the rack is full, leave the gingerbread for a couple of minutes until they stop dripping. 
8. You can then move the rack to another location so you can do another batch, or use the sink If you have an ant problem like me you might like to try this trick… Take a baking dish, add a couple of inches of water to the bottom, place glasses or mugs in the dish (make sure they do not touch the sides or you are giving the ants a bridge to use) then place the wire rack on top of the mugs. 
9. Once the icing has dried enough that you don’t leave fingerprints in it (an hour or so depending on the weather) you can move the gingerbread to an airtight container for storage.

These make great little presents, 3 or 4 wrapped in celophane and tied up with a pretty ribbon.