Gingerbread Men

Here is a classic recipe for Gingerbread Men. These are seen in the picture next to the hot chocolate in the previous post.

Ingredients:
350g plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2tsp ground Ginger
100g margarine
175g light muscovado sugar
4tblsp golden syrup
1 egg
currants to decorate
Method:

1. Heat oven at C190. Grease 3 baking trays.
2. Measure the flour, bicarbonate of soda and ginger into a bowl of a food processor. Whiz in the margarine until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Stir in the sugar. 
3. Add the syrup and egg to the flour mixture. Mix until the mixture forms a dough.
4. Take it out of the food processor and  knead it lightly with your hands for 5 minutes. 
5. Divide the dough in half and roll out on a floured surface to the thickness of one centimeter.
6. Cut out gingerbread men and women using a cutter. Place them on a baking tray leaving enough space forspreading. Roll out the rest of the dough and cut out the gingerbread. Decorate them with currants to make eyes and buttons. 
7. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes until a slightly darker shade.
8. Cool slightly and then move to a cooling rack.

Christmas Shortbread

This Shortbread is simple to make, and are great to give as Christmas presents. To give the shortbread a Christmas theme they are dusted with cinnamon sugar! The shortbread recipe can be adapted to give different flavours. (e.g chocolate, cranberry or nuts can be added instead of Cinnamon)

Ingredients:
175g unsalted butter
75g Castor sugar
200g plain flour
50g corn flour
cinnamon mixed with Castor sugar to dust

Method:

1. Cut the butter into small chunks and add it to the food processor with the sugar. Whiz for about a minute or until the butter and sugar is pale and fluffy. 
2. Add the flours and mix until the mixture is well combined. You may need to add a drop of milk to bring the mixture together as a dough.
3. Wrap and chill the dough for a minim of 30 minutes. 
4. Heat oven to C170 fan.
5. Roll out the dough to 1 cm thick and cut out your desired shape. Prick with a fork.
6. Put onto a greased sheet and cooked for 15 minutes.
7. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and cool on a rack.  

Hot Chocolate Update

So far I have tried many recipes. The recipes with the real chocolate often ended up separating or not combining well. The best recipe I used had chocolate and some cocoa powder.

This hot chocolate is sour and dark; a great indulgence for the real hot chocolate lovers. To sweeten it add more sugar or marshmallows or whipped cream and then sprinkle with cinnamon.

A Real Hot Chocolate
Ingredients:
5tbsp cocoa powder
2tbsp castor sugar
6oz milk chocolate
1 cup + 4tbsp semi-skinned milk
Marshmallows or whipped cream to serve
Cinnamon to put on top

Method:

1. In a saucepan add cocoa powder, sugar and 4 tbsp milk.
2. Heat until the sugar dissolves, and the cocoa powder is combined.
3. Add the remaining milk with the chocolate.
4. Melt the chocolate and ensure the drink is piping hot before serving.
5. Serve with some whipped cream or marshmallows.

Hot Chocolate served with some gingerbread men.

Additions or Variations:

• Adding a pinch of chili powder
• A cinnamon stick
• A little instant expresso powder for a hot mocha
• Use Maya gold chocolate and sprinkle with orange zest
• Use half mint chocolate and half dark chocolate, finish with a after eight mint.