Chocolate Gingerbreads Food

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.

GINGERBREAD HOT CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• Combine the milk, cocoa powder, sugar, molasses, ginger, cinnamon nutmeg and allspice in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar, cocoa powder and spices are dissolved and the milk is steaming, about 5 minutes. Do not let the mixture come to a boil. Whisk in the chopped chocolate a little at a time until smooth. Divide among 6 to 8 mugs and garnish with whipped cream and mini marshmallows.

CHOCOLATE GINGERBREAD SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, line the bottom with parchment paper and butter the parchment. Dust with flour and tap out any excess. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, gingerbread spice and salt in a medium bowl. Beat 1 stick butter and the brown sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on low speed until incorporated, then increase the speed to medium and beat until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the whole egg and egg yolks and beat 1 minute. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the water. Beat until just smooth, being careful not to overbeat (the batter may look curdled).
• Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Bake until the cake springs back when pressed, 25 to 35 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a rack, remove the parchment and let cool completely.
• Beat the remaining 4 tablespoons butter and the ginger jam in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale, about 1 minute. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Carefully cut the cake in half crosswise with a serrated knife and spread one half with the ginger filling. Top with the other cake layer and cut lengthwise, then crosswise into 6 equal rows, making small cubes. Freeze the cubes until firm, about 1 hour.
• Melt the chocolate and shortening in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water), about 5 minutes. Remove the bowl from the pan. Hold each cake square over the bowl on a fork and spoon chocolate over the top until evenly covered. Let the excess drip off, then transfer to a rack set on a baking sheet. Top with crystallized ginger. Let set, about 2 hours at room temperature or 30 minutes in the refrigerator; before completely set, loosen with a spatula.

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 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.

GARAM MASALA-CHOCOLATE GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and garam masala in a large bowl. Set aside.
• Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle (or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer). Beat on medium-high speed until the butter is smooth, about 1 minute. Add the sugar and ginger; continue to beat over medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat in the egg until fully incorporated. Add the molasses and continue to beat until fully incorporated. Add the flour in 2 batches and mix on low until combined and forms a sticky dough. Divide the dough in half, wrap in plastic wrap, and pat into 2 (1/2-inch thick) rectangles. Chill for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and adjust racks to the bottom and top half of the oven. Line 3 to 4 baking sheets with parchment paper. Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour.
• Roll each portion of the dough into a 1/4-inch thick rectangle (if the dough becomes soft, chill for a bit in the refrigerator). Cut the dough with 3-inch cookie cutters, lay on the prepared baking sheets about 1-inch apart, and chill for 10 minutes. Bake until the cookies are golden around the edges, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely. Decorate, as desired, with Chocolate Glaze or Royal Icing. Garnish with toasted fennel seeds, dried rose petals, or silver dragees.
• Combine all the ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and cook until the chocolate melts, about 1 1/2 minutes. Stir to smooth out and combine.
• Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Beat with an electric hand mixer over medium-high speed until it forms thick and glossy peaks, about 6 minutes.

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 CAKE

Steps:

• Put the sugar into a large bowl. Beat the softened butter into the sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating to incorporate. Then, while constantly beating, add the honey, spices and flour. Whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form and fold them into the batter with the baking powder, walnuts, almonds and candied orange.
• Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 4. Butter and line a 900g/2lb loaf tin and tip in the cake batter - it should come no more than halfway up the tin. Put in the oven and lower the temperature to 170C/150C fan/gas 3 and bake for 50 mins-1 hr or until a skewer poked into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
• To make the topping, put the butter into a saucepan, add 2 tbsp cold water, the sugar and the cocoa. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Simmer for 5 mins. Take off the heat and, stirring constantly, pour in the cognac. Coat the cooled gingerbread with the glaze and set aside 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 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.

CHOCOLATE GINGERBREADS

Steps:

• Beat sugar and butter until fluffy. Add egg, molasses, ginger, vanilla, cinnamon, and cloves.
• Whisk flour, cocoa, salt, and baking soda. Stir into the butter mixture.
• Do no chill dough. Drop by tablespoonfuls and sprinkle with coarse sugar and bake at 350 8 to 12 minutes.