Gingerbread men.............how do I make them......

[fannyannie]

what do I need?? Recipes please - DS1 wants to make some during the holidays and I said yes (not sure what I was thinking we don't "do" baking, painting, messy stuff in this house - save it for school, nursery and friends houses ).

Made them for the first time recently using the saucepan method - great because there is hardly any mess (well less than usual).

Will look out recipe...

oh I'm prepared to put up with the mess as a one off......just don't know what I need to make 'em .

3oz soft brown sugar
2 tablespoons golden syrup
1 tablespoon black treacle
1 tablespoon water
3 1/2 oz butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
8-10 oz plain flour

Put sugar, syrup, treacle, water, spices (if you are Delia you also include a pinch of ground cloves and the finely grated rind of half an orange) in a pan.

Bring to the boil stirring all the time.

Remove from heat and stir in butter (cut into lumps) and the bicarbonate of soda.

Next stir in flour until you have a managable (although sticky) dough.

Leave the dough covered in a cool place to become firm (about 45 mins). Preheat oven to gas 4 (180C).

Roll out dough on a lightly floured baord and cut out the gingerbread men.

Arrange on a greased baking sheet and cook for around 10 minutes or until they feel firmish when lightly pressed.

Melt 1oz (25g) marg or butter in saucepan with 2oz (50g) dark brown sugar and 2 tablespoons golden syrup. Add 4oz (100g) flour, 1 tsp ginger, pinch cinnamon, 1 tsp milk, half tsp bicarbonate of soda. Put the dough in a plastic bag and put in fridge to chill for 30mins. Then roll out, blah,blah blah

Ours is a fan oven so it might take a bit longer if yours isn't. And that's powdered ginger.

thanks bb - now I know what to put on my shopping list (along with cake ingredients...promised to make those too - haven't made them since we were skint nearly 2yrs ago LOL but at least I know what I'm doing with them).