I am making gingerbread with a view to doing tree ornaments as we speak

[UCM]

its in the oven so will let you know how they turned out.

Are you expecting them to last til Christmas?

No I am going to chomp until they are all gone tomorrow LOL, this is practice as I am not the best baker in town. Also I think I may have rolled the dough a bit thin.

Soupy, if I made them nearer Christmas and put them in freezer bags with the sort of zip bit at the top, would that classify as airtight do you think??? What would you use.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooo, they are bloody lovely, devine in fact. I put them on the back step to cool down and - scrumptious

I put 2 batches in one on mid shelf and one just above, left the first lot in for 10, 2nd for 15 (was busy typine on here) the first lot are soft and nice the 2nd lot are a bit burnt.

If anyone would like this recipe for gingerbread dough, please ask???? it's truly scrumptious

I tend to use tupperware type boxes.

They have to be hard to hang from a tree though.

this might be of interest too?

Thanks Holly I have that little man cut out thing, I might make that, it's cute.

Soupy the 2nd lot could take my weight (14st) I reckon as they are like bleeding cement and they were only a little bit burnt lol.

sounds yummy

They are Pix, only problem is, the ones that are not burnt are now gone, we have eaten them!!

lol

sound lovely and I did them for the tree last xmas and they look great too.

If you do them for your tree don't forget to put the holes in them before you bake them - I made that mistake and had to eat a whole tray of them on my own in the kitchen before making some more.

UCM I'd like the recipe please - planning to make them for my tree too (after a test run, of course)

Not sure how wise it will be with the dog about, but I'll chance it

never posted on A&C before

how do you decorate them? or don't you? Any tips would be appreciated

Hats off to all the bakers! i'm in absolute awe! i bought some nice heart shaped gingerbread decorations from IKEA last year. Less than a pound for the pack. Put red gingham ribbon through the top and let a five year old loose with a piping bag! Some went on the tree and some got wrapped in cellophane and tied with ribbon and given to soppy grandmas who love that sort of thing!
REAL baking though! Maybe I should have a go!?

oh yes home baking the way to go in this household this year.

Plan to make:-

Christmas cake
mince pies
tree decs

hello all, was at thought of making gingerbread decorations but then read mamaghouls post and remembered my dog so prob cant put them on my tree but now think will make them up for pressies for friends to put on their trr.
2 questions: how long do they last and do you intend them to be eaten in the end or purely as decorations.

also hollyhobbie i am so excited about the gingerbread man wreath am defo doing that!

mamaghoul do you ever make chutney as well, i get very self satisfied smug glow when making it and esp when giving it as a pressie, all started when v.broke as student and made chutney and biscuits for cheese, also used to make panforte which looked cool for cats.always think perhaps i get much more excited giving them than the recievers are at getting them!!

I don't make chutney, but DH does. Much nicer than bought stuff

yes, UCM, can you post your recipe?

30ml/2tbsp golden syrup
15ml/1tbsp black treacle
50g/2oz soft brown sugar
25g/2tbsp butter
175g/6oz plain flour
3/4 tsp bicarb of soda
1/2 tsp mixed spice
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 egg yolk

oven gas 5/190/375. put baking sheets on trays. put syrup treacle sugar & butter in saucepan, heat gently stirring until butter melted. (I found wetting the spoon before putting the treacle/syrup helped it from being too gooey on spoon).

sift flour,bicarb spice & ginger in bowl, using wooden spoon stir in treacle mix & yolk, mix to soft dough. At this point my dough wasn't really gelling & bonding so I added a bit more butter (lol) Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth.

Roll out, cut shapes bung in oven check after about 10 mins and you decide here, as 5 more minutes can leave them burnt, so play that bit by ear or nose!!!

Then ice/decorate as required, if you are hanging on tree remember to use a straw or sommat to make hold before baking.

Thanks ever so much.

I'll hang on to this and make in december i think