Christmas Cheers

It’s December and for everyone all ages this will probably be the most exciting time of the year, Christmas is around the corner. The dessert chosen for this month will be the most obvious and fun… ginger bread houses and men. Enjoy the recipe below and cook up a feasting dessert for your family and friends on this joyous occasion.

You will need: Base - Plywood, heavy platter or chopping board; Cardboard cut-outs - Two 13cm x 19cm rectangles (roof), Two 11.5cm x 16cm rectangles (side walls), Two 16cm x 19cm rectangles (front and back), each trimmed at 1 short end to form two 10cm-high gables; Decorations - Rafaela balls, white choc melts, white choc bits, Allens ABC jubes, red M&Ms or Smarties, red and white licorice bullets, red jelly beans, strawberry creams.

Ingredients

 3 1/2 cups self-rising flour

 1 cup plain flour

 1 tablespoon ground ginger

 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

 185g butter, chopped

 1/2 cup golden syrup

 2 eggs, lightly beaten

 1/4 cup pure icing sugar

Royal icing

 2 egg whites, lightly beaten

 3 cups pure icing sugar

Step 1

Combine flours, ginger, cinnamon, sugar and butter in a food processor. Process until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Whisk golden syrup and eggs together in a jug. With the motor running, add egg mixture and process until dough just comes together. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Knead gently until smooth. Cut dough in half and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until well chilled.

Step 2

Roll dough, 1 portion at a time, between 2 sheets baking paper until 5mm thick. Remove top layer baking paper. Using cardboard cut-outs as a guide, cut shapes from dough (see tip). Place gingerbread in a single layer on trays. Freeze for 15 minutes or until firm.

Step 3

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line 4 baking trays with baking paper. Place gingerbread on trays. Bake, 2 trays at a time, for 15 minutes or until firm. Cool on trays.

Step 4

Make royal icing: Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add icing sugar, beating constantly until thick.

Step 5

Use icing to join walls together, placing unopened cans of food to support walls until icing dries. Use icing to attach roof to walls, using cans to support roof (to prevent it from slipping off walls) until icing dries completely.

Step 6

Spoon 1/2 cup remaining icing into a snap-lock bag. Trim 1 corner of bag and pipe windows and doors on house and frost on roof edges. Allow to dry. Spoon remaining icing into snap-lock bag. Pipe a little icing on the back of each lolly and attach to house to decorate. Dust roof with icing sugar.

By Mary Luluga