thebigfatnoodle

A failsafe gingerbread recipe

Standard · Posted by thebigfatnoodle on November 26, 2011 · 15 Comments 

The first of many batches this winter

Easy peasy gingerbread men

I came across this Delia Smith recipe at least 6-7 years ago and I’ve been making it religiously ever since. The moment autumn/winter sets in and the days grow cold, I’ll make at least 3 or 4 batches before Christmas because these are one of my husband’s favourite biscuits. He devours them and can easily chomp his way through about 5 of these babies each time he walks past the kitchen.

Happy husband. Happy days 🙂

Before the end of the year, I'll probably have made about 200 of these babies

Plus I normally make extra batches and wrap them up in cellophane parcels to give to friends and family as Christmas presents – they always go down a treat!

It’s really the easiest gingerbread biscuit recipe you’ll ever find.

It’s dead simple, and stands up to such rough treatment that it’s perfect when you have kids over who want to play around in the kitchen.

I have adapted Delia’s recipe over the years, only because I like using more ginger and spice. You can find Delia’s original recipe here if you’d rather try that.

Gingerbread goodness

Who's the daddy?

I use a number of different cookie cutters because I love having a variety of differently shaped biccies to munch my way through.

I always paint my gingerbread men and women but will keep the others aside to coat in icing fondant.

These biscuits are super crunchy and they keep really, really well. My husband loves these crunchy biscuits for dunking.

Just bear in mind that the cookies covered in fondant will become softer so if you like crunchy biscuits, don’t coat them.

The crisp white sugary top reminds me that winter’s here, and it’s time for us to light a fire and think about making an Irish coffee to go with these biscuits.

Lots of love

thebigfatnoodle

Yup, winter time!

You really can't go wrong with this recipe.

Gingerbread men

75 grams soft brown sugar

2 tablespoons golden syrup

1 tablespoon black treacle

1 heaped teaspoon cinnamon

1½ teaspoons ground ginger

1 pinch ground cloves

Finely grated rind of 1 orange

1 tablespoon of orange juice

One pot doughy deliciousness

100 grams butter

¾ level teaspoon baking soda

250 grams plain flour

Pre-heat your oven to gas 180 degrees (Celsius).

Put the sugar, syrup, treacle, orange juice, spices and rind together in a large saucepan.

Bring to boil, stirring constantly. Turn off the heat and add your butter and baking soda, mixing until everything’s combined.

Stir in your flour until mixed in and then set aside in a cool place until it’s chilled enough to handle (about 30minutes).

The dough remains quite buttery when you roll it out and is quite soft but you can easily press the dough back together if it breaks.

Roll the dough out to about 3-5 mm thickness cut into gingerbread men or different cookie shapes.

Bake in the oven for about 10-15minutes and allow to cool first in the baking tray for a couple of minutes, then on a rack, before decorating.

These biscuits are lovely and crunchy, so perfect for dunking.

Decorate using icing pens. Or...

... drench in fondant icing.

Almost too cute to eat. Almost.