I got to try out another Christmas present today, my gingerbread men (and women) cookie cutters. I have been wanting to try making gingerbread men for ages but just couldn’t bring myself to make them into star and heart shapes instead of proper people shapes! So I added the cookie cutters to my ever-growing Christmas and birthday wish-list and wa-lah… I had me some waaaay good gingerbread men cookie cutters. I must admit that I found this recipe a little difficult to follow – quite possibly “holiday brain” is lingering, as evidenced by my adding a teaspoon of ginger rather than the required tablespoon and forgetting the self-raising flour until the dough had been rolled (yes, I threw it back in the bowl, added the flour and mixed and rolled again!) but the recipe was also written kind of strangely. I have done my best to clear up the confusing bits. And, yes. I did cook them in my wonderful new microwave LOL. You know I'm not going to shut up about if for ages yet!

Family Style Gingerbread Men
From Family Circle Step-by-Step Biscuits and Slices

Naked gingerbread people

125g unsalted butter
1/3 cup soft brown sugar
¼ cup golden syrup
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 cups plain flour
¼ cup self raising flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger (I put in 1 teaspoon!)
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
1 tablespoon currants

Icing
1 egg white
½ teaspoon lemon juice (didn’t add any)
1¼ cups icing sugar, sifted
Assorted food colourings

Preheat oven to moderate 180˚C. Line two or three oven trays with baking paper.
Using electric beaters, beat butter, sugar and golden syrup in a small mixing bowl until light and creamy. Add egg gradually, beating well after each addition (I threw the whole lot in at once and then realised what the recipe wanted!). Transfer mixture to large bowl. Sift dry ingredients onto butter mixture. Mix with a knife until just combined. Combine dough with well-floured hand. Turn dough onto well-floured surface and knead 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 stop it from 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 re-roll. Cut out more shapes. Place currants as eyes and noses on gingerbread men (we used choc-bits for eyes). Bake 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool biscuits on trays.
To make icing. Place egg white in small dry mixing bowl. Using electric beaters eat egg white until foamy. Add lemon juice and icing sugar gradually. Beat until thick and creamy. Divide mixture into several bowls. Tint mixture with desired food colourings. Spoon icing mixture into small paper icing bags, seal open ends. Snip tips off piping bags, pipe faces and clothing onto gingerbread men (and women!!)

Gingerbread people with clothes on!

I think I might need to work on my piping skills and maybe get a proper piping bag - the gingerbread lady on the bottom right should have a collar on her dress rather than looking like she has real perky you-know-whats under her apron (Yes, it's supposed to be an apron!!)