how do i make gingerbread?

Question

just wondering if anyone out there has an easy recipe for gingerbread and possibly the icing that doesnt run everywhere!!

Answer 1

Gingerbread Men
1 cup unsalted butter
1/3 cup soft brown sugar
1/4 cup golden syrup
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 cups plain flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 tablespoon of currants
Icing:
1 egg white
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 1/4 cups icing sugar
assorted food coloring
Preheat oven to moderate 180c degrees. Line 2 or 3 oven trays with baking paper. Using electric beaters, beat butter, sugar, and syrup in a small mixing bowl until light and creamy. Add egg gradually, beating thoroughly after each addition. Transfer mixture into large bowl, sift dry ingredients onto well floured surface and knead for 1-2 minutes or until smooth. Line a large chopping board with baking paper, roll out dough on board to 5mm thickness (flour rolling pin if necessary to prevent sticking), refrigerate on board for 15 minutes so dough is firm to cut. Cut dough into shapes with a 13cm gingerbread man cutter. Press remaining dough together and reroll. Cut out shapes. Place biscuits on prepared trays. Place currants as eyes and nose on men. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool biscuits on trays. Icing: Place egg whites in small dry mixing bowl, using electric beaters beat egg whites until foamy. Add lemon juice and icing sugar gradually. Beat until thick and creamy. Divide icing into several bowls. Tint mixtures with desired food colors. Spoon mixture into small paper icing bags. Seal open ends. Snip tips off piping bags. Pipe faces and clothing onto gingerbread men. When icing is completely dry, store in an airtight container in a cool dry place for up to 3 days.


nfd♥

Answer 2

Gingerbread People

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 (3.9 ounce) package JELL-O Butterscotch Flavor Instant Pudding and Pie Filling
1 egg
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Beat butter, sugar, dry pudding mix and egg in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Combine remaining ingredients. Gradually add to pudding mixture, beating well after each addition; cover. Refrigerate 1 hour or until dough is firm..
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch-thickness. Cut into gingerbread shapes with 4-inch cookie cutter. Place on greased baking sheets. Use a straw to make a hole near the top of each cookie to use for hanging.
Bake 10 to 12 min. or until edges are lightly browned. Remove from baking sheets. Cool on wire racks. Decorate as desired

Answer 3

This looks easy enough...

http://www.gingerbreadlane.com/recipe.html

...it has instructions on making a gingerbread house, but you could just cut out the gingerbread dough into whatever shapes you want.

The icing you are talking about is royal icing, here's a good recipe I have used...

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_25188,00.html

Answer 4

From The Secret Ingredient Catering & Event Planning - San Jose, Ca

Gingerbread House Recipe

INGREDIENTS:
Cookie Dough:
1-1/2 cups whipping cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 Tablespoons baking soda
1 Tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1-1/3 cups light or dark molasses
9 cups all-purpose flour
.
Icing Cement:
2 large egg whites
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 teaspoons water
3 cups sifted powdered sugar
PREPARATION:
Line 12 x 15-inch rimless baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpats.

In a small bowl, whip cream and vanilla until it holds soft peaks. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, baking soda, ginger, and cinnamon. Beat in the molasses and whipped cream mixture until well-combined.

With mixer running, gradually add flour, beating until completely mixed.

Lightly flour a pastry board or mat. Roll out a portion of the dough until flat, but not so thin that you cannot pick it up without it tearing. Drape it over the rolling pin and move to the prepared baking sheet.

Continue rolling the dough to an even thickness on the baking sheet. This is easily achieved by placing two equally thick wooden strips on either side of the baking sheet to support the rolling pin. An even thickness is important. Lower areas will bake darker in color and be more brittle. You will need about 2 cups of dough for each 1/8-inch thickness, about 4 cups for each 1/4-inch slab, and about 6 cups for each 3/8-inch slab.

Bake two sheets of dough at a time. Bake until fairly firm in the center. The temperature and time will vary with the thickness of the slab. For 1/8-thick slabs, bake in preheated 300 F. oven for about 1 hour; for 1/4-inch slabs, bake at 275 F. about 1-3/4 hours; and for 3/8-inch slabs, bake at 275 F. about 2-1/4 hours.

After 30 minutes, position your gingerbread house pattern cut-outs as close together as possible on the sheet of cookies. Cut around the pattern with a sharp knife, remove the pattern, and separate the scrap pieces (may be baked later to eat). Return house pieces to the oven, swapping their rack positions, and continue to bake.

While the pieces are baking, any remaining dough may be rolled out for cookies or additional decorative gingerbread house pieces.

When pieces are finished baking, loosen gently with a flat spatula and let them cool on the sheet another 5 to 10 minutes before moving to a rack to cool completely.

At this point, you may wrap the gingerbread house pieces airtight in plastic wrap and store up to one month. Or proceed to assemble and decorate your house or cookies using icing cement (below).

Yield: about 9 cups dough, or 4-1/2 slabs 1/8 inch thick, 2-1/2 slabs 1/4 inch thick, or 1-1/2 slabs 3/8 inch thick. Each full slab is 10 by 15 inches.

Icing Cement:
Beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and water until frothy. Blend in sugar on high speed until stiff, 5 to 10 minutes. Use immediately or cover and use within 8 hours.

Yield: about 1-1/2 cups icing

Answer 5

You could either A.) eat the gingerbread cookies or B.) throw away the gingerbread cookies.