Gingerbread people

Very few poeple I know don’t enjoy gingerbread. My children like to make gingerbread,m but only if they get to use the cookie cutters and create shapes out of the cookie dough before it is baked.

In this recipe, I tell you about how to make a whole family of gingerbread people and decorate them. Delicious fun!

What you need:

• a baking tray
• gingerbread man shaped cookie cutter
• piping icing (either shop bought or homemade)
• 100g plain flour
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 25g margarine
• 1 tbsp pear/apple spread/puree
• a tbsp concentrated apple juice

What to do:

*preheat the oven to 160C/325F/gas mark 3

1. grease the baking tray with a little butter
2. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, ginger and cinnamon in a bowl.
3. Put the margarine, pear/apple sauce and apple juice into a saucepan over a low heat and stir til melted.
4. Pour the melted mixture into the flour bowl.
5. mix the ingredients to form a firm dough
6. Put the dough onto a floured surface and gently roll out with a rolling pin (not too thinly)
7. Cut out the shapes with your cutter.
8. Place them on the baking tray and bake for 10-15 minutes.

While it is baking, make the icing.

1. Beat the egg white in a small bowl and then sift the icing sugar on top.
2. Beat the ingredients together until you have a smooth ,stiff paste.
3. Add food colouring if you like
4. Spoon the icing into your piping bag

When the the gingerbread people are finished baking, allow them to cool completely before decorating them with icing.