Ginger Bread Men Recipe

INGREDIENTS

350g / 12oz plain flour

175g / 6oz light soft brown sugar

100g / 4oz butter

1 medium egg

4 tablespoons of golden syrup

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 and a half teaspoons of ground ginger - see Advice for Ginger Bread Men below

Sweet, small decorations

PREPARATION TIME: 30 minutes
 
COOKING TIME: 15 minutes
 
DIFFICULTY: Easy
 
FREEZE: No
 
SERVINGS: 12 (various sizes)
 
EQUIPMENT: Rolling pin, man shaped pastry cutter, scales, baking tray

PREPARATION

You will need to measure out the ingredients or at least help your child to do so. The pastry will be easier to mix if the butter has been removed from the fridge half an hour before starting mixing.

Lightly break up the egg with a fork.

ADVICE FOR GINGER BREAD MEN

Everyone has their own idea of what makes the perfect gingerbread men, especially children. This recipe has been designed so that not only can your kids prepare and cook most of the recipes but also so that they will enjoy eating them.

Two variables can be easily adjusted to make them exactly how you and your kids prefer. First, we have used only a relatively small amount of ground ginger so that younger kids enjoy the taste. But it's fine to double or even triple the amount of ground ginger if you want to make a stronger tasting biscuit.

The second variable is the thickness you roll out the pastry. We suggest a thickness of about 5mm. This gives a biscuit which has a little crunch to it but is also reasonably soft in the middle. To get a crisper gingerbread man simply roll out the pastry thinner, or thicker if you want a softer biscuit.

This recipe was written by David Marks. Recipe tested out on Anthony and Simon, our resident food tasters!

RECIPE INSTRUCTIONS

STEP 1

Put the flour, butter, ground ginger and bicarbonate of soda in a mixing bowl. Mix it all together with fingertips until crumbly. Add sugar, syrup and egg and mix until it forms a firm pastry mix.

Ginger bread pastry rolled into a ball

STEP 2

Pre-heat the oven to 190°C / fan 170°C / 375°F / Gas Mark 5.

Using the rolling pin, roll out the pastry to about 5mm thick. Make sure the surface and the rolling pin are well dusted with flour. Cut out the shapes with a knife and/or pastry cutter.

Ginger Bread pastry rolled out

STEP 3

Place the cut out pastry on a greased and non-stick baking tray, each 2cm apart to allow for them spreading out.

Put the baking trays in the pre-heated oven (see step 2). Remove after 15 minutes (check after 10 minutes to ensure it doesn't burn).

Ginger bread men cooked

STEP 4

Find a selection of anything you like to decorate the gingerbread men and house.

We used cake icing with raisins, chocolate chips and edible silver balls.

Decorations for Ginger Bread men

STEP 5

Put a blob of icing on the gingerbread men where you want a decoration to stick. The kids enjoy this decoration stage best.

Cooked and decorated Ginger Bread Men