Chocolate Gingerbread Food

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 CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch springform cake pan, then dust it with flour, tapping out any excess.Sift or whisk the flour, salt, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, mustard, pepper, and baking soda together in a large bowl and set aside.In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy.Add the brown sugar to the bowl of the mixer, and continue to mix on medium-high speed.
• To the butter and sugar, add the eggs, one at a time, mixing between each addition. Add the molasses and melted chocolate to the mixing bowl, mixing well to incorporate.To the mix, alternate adding the wet (espresso) and dry (flour) until everything has been incorporated.
• Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 40 minutes.
• While the cake is baking, prepare the icing. In a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan set over very low heat, melt the chocolate and cream together. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
• Remove the cake from the oven, and set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Unmold the cake from the pan, invert it onto a wide platter, and spread the icing across the top, letting the chocolate drip down the sides. Cut into pieces and serve to your guests.

CHOCOLATE GINGERBREAD MEN

Steps:

• Position racks in the top & bottom thirds of the oven, then preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• With shortening (not on ingredient list) to grease several large baking sheets, then set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, baking powder & cloves until spices & coca are evenly distributed, then set aside.
• In a 2nd large bowl, & using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream shortening & brown sugar until smooth & airy, about 1 minute.
• Beat in egg & then the molasses.
• Turn off mixer & add prepared flour mixture, then AT VERY LOW SPEED beat just until crumbly bits of dough form, but not until the mass begins to cohere into a ball.
• With flour lightly dust a clean, dry work surface as well as your hands.
• Turn dough out & knead just until it forms a smooth mass, about 30 seconds.
• Divide into thirds & cover them with a clean kitchen towel.
• With flour lightly dust the work surface again & roll one of the thirds to a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Flour the dough & a rolling pin only as necessary.
• Use a large gingerbread-man cookie cutter to cut the dough into the desired shapes, then use a metal spatula to transfer them carefully to the prepared baking sheet(s). Gather any scraps, lightly dust again with flour & roll out a 2nd time, creating additional gingerbread men.
• Decorate the cookies with the raisins & red hots, using one for the eyes & the other for the mouths. Additional red hots can be used as buttons on their coats.
• Bake for 4 minutes, then rotate sheets top to bottom & front to back.
• Bake another 4 minutes, or until cookies feel dry but still are a little soft.
• Remove from oven & cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes before transferring the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.
• Cool the baking sheets for 5 more minutes, then regrease them before baking additional batches, as necessary, OR work with 2 additional baking sheets, preparing them while the others are in the oven.
• Keep no longer than 2 days at room temperature, several more days in the refrigerator, OR up to a month in the freezer.

CHOCOLATE GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to Gas 4 180C/160C fan. Grease a 30 x 20cm traybake or roasting tin then line with baking parchment.
• Place butter, sugar, syrup, treacle & spices in a saucepan and heat gently until the butter has melted. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate and stir until melted. stir in the milk and dissolved bicarbonate of soda.
• Sift flour into a mixing bowl. Slowly pour the melted chocolate onto the flour stirring constantly to create a smooth batter. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 35 mins.
• The gingerbread should feel springy when touched and a skewer inserted into the middle should come out clean. Let the gingerbread cool slightly in tin then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before icing.
• To make the icing put the chocolate and cream in a glass bowl then set over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does NOT touch the water. Stir occasionally until the chocolate has melted. Pour the icing onto the gingerbread and smooth with a spatula. Don't cut the gingerbread until the icing has cooled completely

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.

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.

EASY CHOCOLATE GINGERBREAD CUTOUTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat eggs, oil and molasses until well blended. In another bowl, whisk cake mix, flour and ginger; gradually beat into egg mixture., Shape dough into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 3-4 hours or until firm enough to roll., Preheat oven to 375°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 3-1/2-in. gingerbread man cookie cutter. Place 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Press raisins into cookies for eyes., Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges are firm. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Decorate with frosting and candies as desired.

CHEWY CHOCOLATE-GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Line two baking sheets with parchment. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and cocoa.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and grated ginger 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 half of flour mixture. Mix in chocolate; turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Pat dough out to about 1 inch thick; seal with wrap. Refrigerate until firm, 2 hours or overnight.
• Heat oven to 325 degrees. Roll dough into 1 1/2- inch balls; place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Roll in granulated sugar. Bake until the surfaces crack slightly, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating halfway through. Let cool on sheets 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool completely. Cookies are best the day they are made but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days.

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

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 GINGERBREAD LOAF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 35o degrees. Grease a 9 X 5 inch loaf pan.
• Mix brown sugar and butter together until creamy. Mix in corn syrup, eggs and buttermilk until well combined.
• Mix the flour, cocoa, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl.
• Add flour mixture to the brown sugar mixture. Stir together until combined. Pour into the loaf pan.
• Bake 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Cool in dish for 5 minutes; cool completely on a wire rack.

CHOCOLATE GINGERBREAD ADVENT CALENDAR

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Put the flour, cocoa, ginger, butter and sugar in a processor, and whizz until you can't see any lumps of butter. Dribble in the syrup and pulse to a smooth dough.
• Take about a quarter of the dough at a time and roll out between 2 sheets of baking parchment to the thickness of a £1 coin. Peel away the top layer of parchment and use cookie cutters to make shapes - leaving about 2cm between each shape as they will spread as they cook. Peel away the dough trimmings and lift the parchment with the shapes onto a baking tray. Bake for 12-15 mins until firm. Remove from the oven and use a plastic straw to make a hole for hanging. Work quickly - if the biscuits cool and harden too much, the holes won't be as neat - then pop the tray back in the oven for 1 min to re-warm.
• Continue rolling and shaping all the remaining dough and trimmings while you bake a tray at a time, until all the dough is used up and you have at least 24 biscuits. Cool completely, then decorate and string up as you wish.
• To make number bunting: Cut your biscuits into triangles using a template - ours was 7cm on each side. After baking, cut two hanging holes in the middle of one side. Use number cutters (or cut out with a small sharp knife like we did) to stamp out 1 to 24 from a sheet of ready-rolled icing. Make runny icing by mixing some sifted icing sugar with a dribble of water. Use small paintbrushes to paint the tops of the icing numbers with some runny icing before dunking in their favourite coloured sprinkles and edible glitters. Leave the numbers to dry for 10 mins, then use more runny icing painted on the bottom of the numbers to stick them to the biscuits.
• To make sparkly snowflakes: Stamp your biscuits out using different snowflake cutters - cakescookiesandcraftsshop.co.uk have pretty ones. Decorate each biscuit differently by painting some with runny icing (see instructions above), then dunking into edible glitters and sprinkles - it's easiest if you tip them onto a small, flat saucer first. Add more icing sugar to your runny icing to make a stiffer consistency, spoon into a piping bag and pipe on pretty details. You can pipe a number onto each with this icing too, if you want.
• To make biscuit baubles: Make a stiff-ish icing using fondant icing sugar this time (this results in a shinier finish). Then thinly pipe around the outsides and holes of each biscuit. You're making a 'wall' to hold in the other icing, so make sure you don't leave any gaps. Leave to set for 30 mins until hard. Make more icing of a slightly runnier consistency. Pipe or spoon the icing onto the biscuits, 'flooding' the area inside your icing 'walls'. Shake a little to evenly spread the runny icing, then immediately use the remaining stiffer icing to pipe on a number. These biscuits will need at least a day to harden before hanging. For step-by-step instructions on 'flooding' icing, see Edd Kimber's Fancy iced biscuits (see 'goes well with')

CHOCOLATE-GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Microwave 3 oz. chocolate and COOL WHIP in medium microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 to 1-1/2 min. or until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after each minute. Reserve for later use.
• Melt remaining chocolate as directed on package. Whisk eggs, oil and molasses in large bowl until blended. Stir in melted chocolate. Add dry cake mix and ginger; mix well.
• Roll dough into 76 balls, using about 1 tsp. dough for each ball. Place, 1 inch apart, on parchment-covered baking sheets.
• Bake 8 to 9 min. or just until centers are set. (Tops will be cracked.) Cool on baking sheets 3 min. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.
• Spoon reserved COOL WHIP mixture into resealable plastic bag; seal bag. Cut small piece off one bottom corner of bag; use to pipe about 1 tsp. COOL WHIP mixture onto bottom side of each of 38 cookies. Cover with remaining cookies, top sides up, to make 38 sandwiches. Sift powdered sugar over cookies.