Chocolate Gingerbread Hugs Food

CHOCOLATE GINGERBREAD HOUSE

Steps:

• For the gingerbread: Sift together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, salt and cloves into a large bowl. Set aside.
• Combine the butter, shortening, brown sugar and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the molasses, vanilla and egg and beat on medium until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the sifted flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined into a smooth dough, about 1 minute. Form the dough into a flat square, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until just firm, at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
• Meanwhile, make templates for the gingerbread house. Gather 3 sheets of stiff paper or 2 manila folders (split at the seam), scissors, a ruler and a pencil. For the side panels, draw and cut out a rectangle that measures 4 by 7 inches. For the front and back panels of a house with a peaked roof, draw and cut out a template that is 6 inches wide at the base, 4 inches to the roofline and 4 1/2 inches slanted to a peak. The template for the roof panels should measure 4 1/2 by 8 inches.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Unwrap the dough and cut into 3 equal pieces (a pizza wheel is handy for this). Working with 1 piece of dough at a time and keeping the other pieces refrigerated, roll the dough into a rectangle 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Using the template, cut out the side panels and remove the scraps around the cutouts. Repeat with the remaining 2 pieces of dough, cutting out the front and back panels and 2 roof panels. If the dough gets too soft while rolling, return it to the refrigerator for 15 minutes before proceeding. (Discard the dough scraps or reroll to make cookies.) Chill the dough pieces on the prepared baking sheets for 15 minutes.
• Bake the dough pieces until crisp almost all the way through (the very center will still be a little soft), 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in the pans 10 minutes on a rack, then remove the house pieces to the rack to cool completely.
• For the royal icing: Combine the confectioners' sugar and meringue powder in a large bowl. Add the vanilla and 5 tablespoons water and beat on medium-high speed with an electric mixer, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary, until the icing forms thick and glossy peaks, about 2 minutes, adding up to 1 tablespoon more water if needed. Divide the icing between the 2 prepared piping bags (one fitted with a small plain tip and the other fitted with a large plain tip).
• Decorate the side panels: Using the piping bag fitted with a small tip, pipe icing to draw a window on 1 of the side panels; press nonpareils around the edges to line the window frame. Pipe icing onto the backs of 2 of the gummy candy canes and attach them on either side of the window. Attach a row of 8 of the chocolate-covered mints along the bottom by piping pea-size dots of icing onto the backs and pressing them on. Repeat with the second side panel. Let the panels rest until set, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Decorate the front panel: Using the piping bag fitted with a small tip, pipe a double line of icing across the front panel where the roof starts to incline; press on 13 of the chocolate chips. Pipe a large dot of icing onto the back of 1 of the chocolate hearts and attach it to the panel just above the line of chocolate chips; outline the heart with icing. Pipe icing to draw a door; attach a nonpareil with a dot of icing to make a doorknob. Pipe icing to draw 2 windows; line the windows with nonpareils. Pipe icing onto the backs of the gummy penguins and attach 2 on either side of the door. Let the panel rest until set, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Decorate the back panel: Using the piping bag fitted with a small tip, pipe a double line of icing across the back panel where the roof starts to incline; press on the remaining 13 chocolate chips. Pipe a large dot of icing onto the back of the remaining chocolate heart and attach it to the panel just above the line of chocolate chips; outline the heart with icing. Pipe icing to draw 2 windows; line the frames with nonpareils. Let the panel rest until set, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Decorate the roof panels: Pour half of the melted chocolate onto 1 of the roof panels; using an offset spatula, spread it to form a thin, even layer. Sprinkle the chocolate-coated roof panel with the chocolate curls. Repeat with the other roof panel. Refrigerate the panels for 15 minutes to let the chocolate set.
• Assemble the walls: Using the piping bag fitted with a large tip, pipe a 6-inch line of icing on the foil-wrapped base (this will be for the front of the house). Press the front panel into the icing and pipe a line of icing along the inside of the panel at the base to reinforce it. Prop up the front with a can. Pipe a 7-inch line of icing perpendicular to the front panel. Pipe icing up the edge of 1 of the side panels. Press the side panel into the icing on the base and against the edge of the front panel, creating a corner. Pipe a line of icing along the inside of the panel at the base to reinforce it. Prop up the side with a can. Repeat the process with the second side panel and the back panel. Let the house rest until the icing is firmly set, at least 1 hour.
• Attach the roof: Gently test the walls to make sure the icing is set. If they give, let the house rest until firm. (If you add the roof too soon, the house will collapse.) Once the walls are set, remove the cans. Using the piping bag fitted with a large tip, pipe icing along the angled roof edges on 1 side of the house. Pipe icing on the unfrosted side of 1 of the roof panels along the 2 short edges (where the roof will attach to the slanted edges of the house). Press the panel onto the house and hold it in place until the icing sets, about 5 minutes. Repeat with the other side and the remaining roof panel. Let the roof rest until completely dry, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Landscape the yard: Using the piping bag fitted with a large tip, pipe a rectangular icing walkway in front of the house; line the edges with the brown candy-coated chocolates and pave the middle with candy rocks. Pipe pea-size dots of icing onto the backs of the chocolate-covered raisins and press them in a row along the bottom of the back panel. Use the piping bag fitted with a large tip to pipe icing snowdrifts around the walkway and the base of the house. While the snowdrifts are still wet, sprinkle them with chocolate puffed cereal and snowflake sprinkles, pressing gently to help them adhere.
• Using the piping bag fitted with a large tip, pipe icing along the top seam of the house where the roof panels connect; line with a row of the chocolate kisses. Let the house rest until dry.

CHOCOLATE GINGERBREAD CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees and butter a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan. Line pan with parchment paper and butter and flour the paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices until well combined.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine brown sugar and butter. Beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing for about 20 seconds in between each and scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. Add molasses, fresh ginger and lemon zest and mix to combine.
• Set mixer to low and alternately add dry ingredients and buttermilk in 3 additions, beginning and ending with dry. Stir until a few spots of flour remain. Remove the bowl from the mixer and, with a spatula, fold in the crystallized ginger and chocolate.
• Pour batter into prepared pan, smooth the top and bake the cake until set and puffed, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes.

CHOCOLATE-GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Chop chocolate into 1/4-inch chunks; set aside. Sift 1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon flour, cocoa, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg together in a medium bowl.
• Beat butter and ginger together in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until whitened, about 4 minutes. Add brown sugar; beat until combined. Add molasses; beat until combined.
• Dissolve baking soda in boiling water. Beat half of the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Beat in baking soda mixture followed by remaining flour mixture. Mix in chocolate; turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Pat dough out to about 1-inch thickness; seal with plastic. Refrigerate until firm, 2 hours or more.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Roll dough into 1 1/2-inch balls and place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. Roll in white sugar.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the surfaces crack slightly, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

GINGERBREAD KISSES

Steps:

• Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in egg and molasses. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt and spices; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Refrigerate, covered, until firm enough to shape, about 4 hours., Preheat oven to 350°. Shape dough into sixty 1-in. balls; roll in sugar. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until lightly browned, 8-10 minutes., Press a chocolate kiss immediately into the center of each cookie. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

CHOCOLATE GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• Line two baking sheets with Silpat baking mats, and set aside. Chop chocolate into 1/4-inch chunks; set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and cocoa.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream grated ginger and butter until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add brown sugar; beat until combined. Add molasses; beat until combined.
• Add the flour mixture in batches until fully incorporated. Mix in chocolate, cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm, 2 hours or more.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place the sugar in a pie plate. Using a 1-ounce ice-cream scoop, scoop the dough into a bowl filled with sugar. Roll each ball of dough in sugar. Bake until surface cracks slightly, 13 to 15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

CHOCOLATE GINGERBREADS

Steps:

• Beat 1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar and 1 stick butter until fluffy, then beat in 1 egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/4 cup molasses, 2 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger and a large pinch each of ground cinnamon and cloves with the egg. Whisk 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon baking soda; stir into the butter mixture. Do not chill. Drop by tablespoonfuls, sprinkle with coarse sugar and bake 8 to 12 minutes at 350 degrees.

CHOCOLATE GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and molasses. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, cinnamon, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or until easy to handle., Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 3-1/2-in. gingerbread boy cookie cutter; place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough; chill and reroll scraps., Bake 6-8 minutes or until edges are firm. Remove to wire racks to cool. Ice and decorate as desired.

MARTHA STEWART CHEWY CHOCOLATE GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, sift together, flour, ginger,cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and cocoa.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and ginger on medium speed until lightened, about 4 minutes.
• Add brown sugar,beat until combined. Add molasses, beat until combined.
• In a small bowl, dissolve baking soda in boiling water.
• Beat half of flour mixture into butter mixture.
• Beat in baking soda mixture, then remaining flour mixture.
• Mix in chocolate, turn into plastic wrap.
• Pat out to 1" thickness, seal with wrap. Refrigerate until firm, 2 hours or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 325*.
• Roll dough into 1 1/2" balls, place 2" apart on baking sheets.
• Chill 20 minutes. Roll in granulated sugar.
• Bake until surface just begins to crack, 10-12 minutes, rotating halfway through.
• Let cool 5 minutes.
• Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

CHOCOLATE-SWIRL GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square pan. In a bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, ginger, baking powder, salt, pepper, and cloves.
• Melt the butter in the water in a small saucepan over medium heat, and stir mixture into the dry ingredients until smooth. Stir in molasses and egg.
• Pour half the batter into prepared pan. With a spoon, drizzle half the chocolate over the batter. Pour remaining batter on top, and drizzle the remaining chocolate over the batter in a decorative pattern.
• Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

CHOCOLATE-GINGERBREAD HUGS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees F; you'll need a baking sheet.
• Place chocolate and butter in a small microwave-safe bowl.
• Microwave on high 1-2 minutes, until melted.
• Stir until well blended and smooth.
• Stir together gingerbread mix, chocolate mixture, flour and hot water in a large bowl with rubber spatula until well blended.
• Put sugar in a small bowl.
• With floured hands, shape scant tablespoons of dough into 1-inch balls.
• Roll balls in sugar to coat.
• Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheet.
• Bake 10-12 minutes until tops crack slightly but are still soft to the touch.
• Place baking sheet on a wire rack.
• Immediately press a Hug in center of each cookie.
• Transfer cookies from baking sheet to rack to cool completely.
• Store airtight at cool room temperature up to 2 weeks.