How to Make Gingerbread Snowman, Rudolph & Tree Cookies

GingerBread Snowman, Rudolph and Christmas tree

• 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 roll

• 300g (2 cups) pure icing sugar, sifted

• 1-2 teaspoons lemon juice

• Food colouring as desired

Extras for Snowman

• A small amount of orange or mandarin peel cut into small carrot shape for Snowman's nose

• Small flower or heart decorations for Snowman's scarf detail

• Iridescent small candy balls for buttons

Extras for Christmas Tree

• Lots of little candy balls in various colours for Christmas baubles

• Stars for the tops of the trees (as you can see mine weren't exactly stars, they were flowers)

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 icing sugar in a food processor and whizz until lumps disappear. Add egg whites and lemon juice. Divide icing into separate bowls depending on the desired number of icing colours you want. Tint with the following colours: brown, green, a little blue (fr the Snowman's scarf or whatever colour you'd like for it)  and a little pink (for the tinsel on the Christmas tree but of course feel free to make it red or yellow as befits tinsel) and of course leaving some white for the snowman. With the black and red I found it easier to use icing pens as the amount used was so small. Set aside.

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Step 4 - Preheat oven to 180°C. Place the dough between 2 sheets of baking paper and roll out until about 4mm thick. Use flour dipped cutters to to cut out shapes (dip in a bowl of flour between each cut). 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.

Step 6 - Place prepared icings in small plastic bags (or use bought icing pens). Cut a small hole in a corner of each bag.

The proportions below assume that you will be making all three kinds of cookies. If you choose to make just the one type of cookie, you're probably more sane than I but you will need to triple the amount of icing you put into the piping bag.

For Snowman

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Step 7 - Place 2-3 tablespoons of the white icing into a piping bag or a ziplock bag (make sure to cover the rest of the bowl of icing with cling wrap when it is not in use). The icing should be able to hold a line when you lift up a spoonful of it and let it drip. Pipe a line around the edges of the snowman.When this line is set, add a little water, a few drops at a time to the remaining white icing in a bowl until it is runny. Be sure to stir it well so that the water is well incorporated. With a teaspoon, "flood" the outline of the snowman and use a toothpick to drag out the icing to reach the outer edges. Sprinkle with sugar to simulate snow and add carrot nose made out of orange or mandarin skin. Allow to set for several hours or overnight. Once set, pipe a scarf in blue (or whatever colour you like). Then add eyes and a smile and a flower if you'd like.

For Rudolph

Step 8 - Place 2-3 tablespoons of the brown icing into a piping bag or a ziplock bag (make sure to cover the rest of the bowl of icing with cling wrap when it is not in use). The icing should be able to hold a line when you lift up a spoonful of it and let it drip. Pipe a line around the edges of the reindeer. When this line is set, add a little water, a few drops at a time to the remaining brown icing in a bowl until it is runny. Be sure to stir it well so that the water is well incorporated. With a teaspoon, "flood" the outline of the reindeer and use a toothpick to drag out the icing to reach the outer edges. With the white piping bag from the snowman above, draw in the antlers and do a belly and tail detail. Sprinkle some sugar on the antlers. Allow to set for several hours or overnight. Once set, pipe eyes and a red nose (of course!).

For Christmas Tree

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Step 9 - Place 2-3 tablespoons of the green icing into a piping bag or a ziplock bag (make sure to cover the rest of the bowl of icing with cling wrap when it is not in use). The icing should be able to hold a line when you lift up a spoonful of it and let it drip. Pipe a line around the edges of the tree. When this line is set, add a little water, a few drops at a time to the remaining green icing in a bowl until it is runny. Be sure to stir it well so that the water is well incorporated. With a teaspoon, "flood" the outline of the tree and use a toothpick to drag out the icing to reach the outer edges. When it is set, Place 2-3 tablespoons of the pink icing into a piping bag or a ziplock bag. Pipe squiggly tinsel lines across the set royal icing and affix the baubles. Pipe a little dot of icing on top and affix the star on top. Allow to set completely.