Gingerbread Christmas baubles
125g butter, at room temperature
100g (1/2 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
125ml (1/2 cup) golden syrup
1 egg, separated plus 1 extra egg white
3 to 3 1/2 cups plain flour
1 tbs ground ginger
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Plain flour, to dust
300g (2 cups) pure icing sugar, sifted
*Food colouring as desired
Method
Step 1 - Line 2 or 3 baking trays with baking paper
Step 2 - Use an electric beater to beat the butter and sugar in a bowl until pale and creamy. Add the golden syrup and egg yolk and beat until combined. Stir in the flour, ginger, mixed spice and bicarbonate of soda. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Press dough into a disc. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.
Step 3 - Meanwhile, place egg whites in a clean, dry bowl. Use an electric beater to beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add icing sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Divide icing into separate bowls depending on the desired number of icing colours you want including one white just in case. Set aside.
Step 4 - Preheat oven to 180°C. Place the dough between 2 sheets of baking paper and roll out until about 4mm thick. Use cutters to to cut out shapes. Place on trays about 3cm apart. Repeat with any excess dough.
Step 5 - Bake in oven for 10 minutes or until brown. Remove from oven. Transfer to a rack to cool and poke holes in top to loop string through. I used the pointy end of a Japanese chopstick (thinner at the bottom than Chinese chopsticks).
Step 6 - Place prepared icings in small plastic bags (or use bought icing pens). Cut a small hole in a corner of each bag. Pipe icing over bauble to decorate.
P.S. These will become soft if the weather is humid which may cause them to fall from the tree. I know this from first hand experience as yesterday was humid :(
Notes & tips
- Allow 30 minutes resting time.
P.S. If you can't find golden syrup, you can use a 50/50 combination of treacle and honey or corn syrup and honey
P.P.S. These make the house smell fabulously Christmassy
Source
Adapted from Original recipe from Australian Good Taste - December 2003 , Page 40
Recipe by Nadia French