Reindeer Gingerbread Biscuits. Gingerbread can either be a spiced biscuit cut into shapes such as a heart or human figure. Or gingerbread is a sticky cake made with molasses or honey. Decorated gingerbread biscuits are one of the festive seasons most popular bakes. From elaborately decorated gingerbread houses used as table centre pieces to Christmas gingerbread men made to hang on your tree.
A bit of Gingerbread Biscuit History
You can find gingerbread biscuits around the world. The origin of the first gingerbread man was said to be at the court of Queen Elizabeth I of England. She had her cooks create edible figurines of foreign dignitaries as gifts. Fairings were a type of gingerbread sold at county fairs, hence the name, bought as treats. Cornish Fairings are still available and very popular in the south-west of the UK. In my opinion they far superior to the commercial Ginger Nut biscuits. You will find them really great to dunk in a cup of tea.
You can use the recipe to bake gingerbread and download plans from the internet to create your own gingerbread house. If you make Gingerbread tree decorations don’t forget to punch in a small hole for the ribbon before baking. If you are making reindeers, you need to cut out gingerbread men and turn them upside down.
Reindeer Gingerbread Biscuits
Ingredients
For the Biscuits
- 350 gr Self-raising Flour plus a little extra
- 175 gr Soft Brown Sugar
- 125 gr Salted Jersey Butter diced
- 4 tablespoons Golden Syrup
- 1 large free-range Egg
- 2 teaspoons ground Ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground Cinnamon
- A large pinch of ground Nutmeg
To Decorate
- 50 gr Icing Sugar sifted
- Red Food Colouring
- Small Chocolate Buttons
- Flaked Almonds
Equipment
- 1 Gingerbread man cookie cutter
- 2 Baking trays
- Non-stick Baking Paper
Instructions
For the Biscuits
- Sift the flour and spices into a large bowl. Add the butter and rub together until the mix resembles a sandy texture. Stir in the sugar.
- Whisk the egg and golden syrup together, pour into the bowl and bring the ingredients together with a large fork. When combined tip onto a lightly floured work surface a knead until the mix is smooth. Roll into a ball then wrap in cling film and place in your fridge for at least quarter of an hour.
- To cook preheat your oven to 350 F / 180 C / Gas Mark 4, and butter and line two baking trays with baking paper.
- Lightly flour your work surface again and roll out the dough until it is half a centimetre thick. Cut out gingerbread men with a gingerbread man shaped cutter and place evenly on the baking trays.
- Place in the oven and bake for twelve to fifteen minutes, or until lightly golden-brown. Carefully remove from the oven and allow to cool on the tray for ten minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
To Decorate
- Place the icing sugar in a bowl and mix with a little cold water sufficient to make a thick icing. Divide into two and colour one half red. Transfer the icing to two small piping bags made from greaseproof paper.
- When the biscuits are totally cool pipe on the icing and decorate as the pictures. Use the chocolate buttons for eyes and the almonds for ears stuck on with white icing. The red icing is for the nose. Store in an air-tight container.
Notes
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