Meg’s Vanilla
Bean & Gingerbread Cookies
::
Megann’s Kitchen ::
:: gingerbread men & rudolf reindeer - two ways :: |
I have fond holiday memories of Gingerbread Houses growing
up. It wasn’t something my mum made, however family friends would sometimes make
the most amazing gingerbread houses at Christmas time that I admired with
wonder, also a watering mouth. The kids would all demolish it together with
squeals of delight… eating the gumdrop lolly features & hardened icing
first, of course!
Strangely enough, it was also going to Pizza Hut in
the big city of Albury (an hours drive from where we lived) & always
getting a gingerbread man for the ride home. Back then, I didn’t really like
the foreign ginger taste in a cookie, but grew to love the spiced sweetness
that you encounter with this special cookie. I would eat the icing with
sprinkles off first, changing the colour of my face, then follow onto the
cookie. Yum.
:: my favourite gingerbread man copper cookie cutter :: |
Now that I have a child of my own, I would also like
him to have the same fond recollections of Gingerbread at special occasions.
Each birthday I have made him this recipe & now we are making Christmas
Cookies in festive shapes for him to put icing “squeeze” on to & to
decorate with friends. I am yet to attempt a Gingerbread House, but the next
Christmas that we have at our house, you can bet on it!
Ginger
Cookie Recipe
125g butter, softened
⅓ cup brown sugar
⅓ cup golden syrup
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp of vanilla bean paste or seeds of 1 vanilla bean
2 cups plain flour
⅓ cup self raising flour
1 Tbs ground ginger
1 tsp bicarbonate soda
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Prepare 3 cookie trays
with baking paper. Note: Make sure they can also fit into your freezer. Use an electric
mixer to beat the butter, sugar, vanilla & golden syrup together until pale &
creamy. Add the egg gradually &
beat until combined. Add the flours,
ginger spices, bircarb soda & place your mixer on slow until just combined. Turn
out onto a floured surface & knead until smooth, for about 1-2 minutes.
Take off one of your baking papers from a
cookie tray. Roll out approximately a third of the dough on the baking paper
until about 5mm (1/4 inch) thick. Lift the paper & place
onto your baking tray & put into the freezer for 10 minutes to chill, or until firm enough to cut. While this is
chilling, repeat the process & roll out some more dough to place in the
freezer.
Carefully lift the paper of chilled rolled gingerbread off the tray & press out your shapes. Cautiously place them onto a cookie tray with baking paper underneath. Place into the oven while the dough is still cool & bake in oven for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden.
Cool on trays then transfer to a cooling rack.
Carefully lift the paper of chilled rolled gingerbread off the tray & press out your shapes. Cautiously place them onto a cookie tray with baking paper underneath. Place into the oven while the dough is still cool & bake in oven for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden.
Cool on trays then transfer to a cooling rack.
Store
:: In an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
:: golden syrup goodness :: |
:: about to mix together - soft butter & sweeteners :: |
Kitchen Notes
:: For
Christmas I add a little bit of Christmas with my spices: such as Cinnamon, Nutmeg
or Allspice. eg- 1½ tsp dried ginger & ½ tsp of mixed Christmas spice for this
mixture quantity. Be sure to taste the dough - depending on the age of your spices they will have different intensities.
:: If you find
that your cookies are creating crease like cracks in the top, it means your
mixture is too dry. Try one of two solutions: whilst on the baking tray, place
your cut out cookies back into the freezer to seize the cookie dough once again
before baking. A fiddly, yet more effective, solution is to place the dough
back into your mixing bowl, add more moisture (such as milk) to your mixture
& combine on a slow speed with electric beaters.
:: For gifts,
birthdays & special occasions, I place the gingerbread cookies into a cello
bag & tie it with a matching ribbon – what a great way to make a simple cookie
a little more presentable.
:: dry ingredients :: |
:: rolling out to the perfect thickness - then into the freezer :: |
Quick
Kitchen
:: I have
prepared the dough up to two days in advance, keeping it well covered in cling
wrap in the fridge. Simply take the dough out of the fridge & sit on the
bench top at least an hour before rolling. I find that it does produce a dryer
dough, so make a more “wet” batch if this is your intention. Always check the consistency of the
mixture before baking to prevent cracks (see above in kitchen notes).
:: I also use Queens Vanilla Bean Paste for my cookies, available from all
good supermarkets in the baking section.
:: decorating Christmas fun with coloured Royal Icing :: |
:: "mummy & me" - decorating efforts :: |
Little Larder
:: When making
this recipe for the kids, I halve the amount of the dried ginger ingredient so
there is only a hint of the spiced flavouring. They find this non-offensive
& more enjoyable. If you are also tentative about ginger, add it in 1 tsp amounts & taste the dough as
you go.
:: For the kids
to decorate the cookies, see my basic Royal Icing Recipe & Little Larder tips.
:: just some of a double batch - before being decorated with my Royal Icing :: |
Recipe Doubled for birthdays, gifts & guests
250g butter, softened
⅔ cup brown sugar
⅔ cup golden syrup
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsp of vanilla bean paste or seeds of 2 vanilla beans
4 cups plain flour
⅔ cup self-raising flour
2 Tbs ground ginger
2 tsp bicarbonate soda
:: matching my cookies to a birthday invite - by Sajaro Occasional Stationary :: |
:: Merry Christmas to everyone - love Megann's Kitchen :: |
Merry
Christmas & a Happy New Year to everyone who
reads & follows Megann’s Kitchen – your loyal support makes this adventure
so rewarding… THANK YOU
ALL!!!