Gingerbread People In Gingerbread Hot Chocolate Tubs Food

GINGERBREAD PEOPLE IN GINGERBREAD HOT CHOCOLATE TUBS

Steps:

• Special equipment: a 4-inch gingerbread man cookie cutter; 6 to 8 mugs; a piping bag or resealable plastic bag
• For the gingerbread people: Whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, allspice, nutmeg, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl until well blended.
• Beat together the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer starting on low and increasing speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl down as needed. Beat in the molasses until combined, then the egg. (The mixture will look curdled.) Turn to low speed and beat in the flour mixture a little at a time until the mixture comes together, then increase speed and beat until all of the ingredients are well incorporated and you have a sticky dough. Divide the dough in half, flatten into 2 disks and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least two hours and up to overnight.
• Position 2 racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Keeping the other disk refrigerated, roll one disk to an ⅛-inch thickness on a well-floured surface, sprinkling flour on and under the dough as needed and sliding a spatula underneath every so often to prevent sticking. If the dough looks crackly or breaks apart, press it back together from the outside edge in. With a 4-inch gingerbread man cookie cutter, cut out gingerbread people as close together on the dough as possible. Pull away the extra dough around each shape and use a small spatula to transfer the people to the prepared cookie sheets about 1 inch apart. Gather together the scraps, leaving behind the excess flour, and knead them a few times to form a smooth dough again. Reroll them in the same way. (If there are any pieces of dough stuck on your surface, scrape them away with a spatula, flour the surface again and then continue to roll the dough.) Check to see if the cutter fits inside the mugs. If the legs are too wide, gently push the legs of the dough cut-outs closer together to make them fit. Freeze the cookies to firm them, about 15 minutes.
• Bake the cookies in the center of the oven racks, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and also turning them 180 degrees around halfway through baking, until they are slightly firm to the touch but not brown, about 12 minutes. Repeat the process with the remaining dough.
• Cool the cookies 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to a rack to cool completely before icing. The cookies will continue to firm as they cool.
• Combine the confectioners' sugar and meringue powder in a large bowl. Add 3 tablespoons water and beat with a hand mixer on low speed until the frosting thickens. The icing should be pure white and thick, but not fluffy and bubbly. (If the frosting is overbeaten, it will get aerated, which makes it harder to work with. If this happens, let the frosting sit for a bit to settle, then use a rubber spatula to vigorously beat and smooth out the icing.) Separate the icing into bowls and color as desired.
• Put the icing into piping bags or resealable plastic bags and snip the corners to the desired size. Use the icing to decorate the cookies, piping on bathing suits and sunglasses.
• Pipe a little white icing on the widest end of each gumdrop to make a drink with foam. Dot some icing on 1 hand of each gingerbread person and press the drink into the dot to make it stick. Let the cookies set at room temperature, at least 1 hour.
• For the hot chocolate: 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.
• To serve, divide the hot chocolate among 6 to 8 mugs. Insert a gingerbread person with its arms resting on the rim. Add whipped cream and marshmallows as bubbles in the hot tubs.

GINGERBREAD PEOPLE IN GINGERBREAD HOT CHOCOLATE TUBS

Steps:

• For the gingerbread people: Whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, allspice, nutmeg, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl until well blended.
• Beat together the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer starting on low and increasing speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl down as needed. Beat in the molasses until combined, then the egg. (The mixture will look curdled.) Turn to low speed and beat in the flour mixture a little at a time until the mixture comes together, then increase speed and beat until all of the ingredients are well incorporated and you have a sticky dough. Divide the dough in half, flatten into 2 disks and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least two hours and up to overnight.
• Position 2 racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Keeping the other disk refrigerated, roll one disk to an 1/8-inch thickness on a well-floured surface, sprinkling flour on and under the dough as needed and sliding a spatula underneath every so often to prevent sticking. If the dough looks crackly or breaks apart, press it back together from the outside edge in. With a 4-inch gingerbread man cookie cutter, cut out gingerbread people as close together on the dough as possible. Pull away the extra dough around each shape and use a small spatula to transfer the people to the prepared cookie sheets about 1 inch apart. Gather together the scraps, leaving behind the excess flour, and knead them a few times to form a smooth dough again. Reroll them in the same way. (If there are any pieces of dough stuck on your surface, scrape them away with a spatula, flour the surface again and then continue to roll the dough.) Check to see if the cutter fits inside the mugs. If the legs are too wide, gently push the legs of the dough cut-outs closer together to make them fit. Freeze the cookies to firm them, about 15 minutes.
• Bake the cookies in the center of the oven racks, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and also turning them 180 degrees around halfway through baking, until they are slightly firm to the touch but not brown, about 12 minutes. Repeat the process with the remaining dough.
• Cool the cookies 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to a rack to cool completely before icing. The cookies will continue to firm as they cool.
• Combine the confectioners' sugar and meringue powder in a large bowl. Add 3 tablespoons water and beat with a hand mixer on low speed until the frosting thickens. The icing should be pure white and thick, but not fluffy and bubbly. (If the frosting is overbeaten, it will get aerated, which makes it harder to work with. If this happens, let the frosting sit for a bit to settle, then use a rubber spatula to vigorously beat and smooth out the icing.) Separate the icing into bowls and color as desired.
• Put the icing into piping bags or resealable plastic bags and snip the corners to the desired size. Use the icing to decorate the cookies, piping on bathing suits and sunglasses.
• Pipe a little white icing on the widest end of each gumdrop to make a drink with foam. Dot some icing on 1 hand of each gingerbread person and press the drink into the dot to make it stick. Let the cookies set at room temperature, at least 1 hour.
• For the hot chocolate: 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.
• To serve, divide the hot chocolate among 6 to 8 mugs. Insert a gingerbread person with its arms resting on the rim. Add whipped cream and marshmallows as bubbles in the hot tubs.

GINGERBREAD PEOPLE IN GINGERBREAD HOT CHOCOLATE TUBS

Steps:

• For the gingerbread people: Whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, allspice, nutmeg, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl until well blended.Beat together the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer starting on low and increasing speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl down as needed. Beat in the molasses until combined, then the egg. (The mixture will look curdled.) Turn to low speed and beat in the flour mixture a little at a time until the mixture comes together, then increase speed and beat until all of the ingredients are well incorporated and you have a sticky dough. Divide the dough in half, flatten into 2 disks and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least two hours and up to overnight.Position 2 racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Keeping the other disk refrigerated, roll one disk to an 1/8-inch thickness on a well-floured surface, sprinkling flour on and under the dough as needed and sliding a spatula underneath every so often to prevent sticking. If the dough looks crackly or breaks apart, press it back together from the outside edge in. With a 4-inch gingerbread man cookie cutter, cut out gingerbread people as close together on the dough as possible. Pull away the extra dough around each shape and use a small spatula to transfer the people to the prepared cookie sheets about 1 inch apart. Gather together the scraps, leaving behind the excess flour, and knead them a few times to form a smooth dough again. Reroll them in the same way. (If there are any pieces of dough stuck on your surface, scrape them away with a spatula, flour the surface again and then continue to roll the dough.) Check to see if the cutter fits inside the mugs. If the legs are too wide, gently push the legs of the dough cut-outs closer together to make them fit. Freeze the cookies to firm them, about 15 minutes.Bake the cookies in the center of the oven racks, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and also turning them 180 degrees around halfway through baking, until they are slightly firm to the touch but not brown, about 12 minutes. Repeat the process with the remaining dough.Cool the cookies 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to a rack to cool completely before icing. The cookies will continue to firm as they cool.Combine the confectioners' sugar and meringue powder in a large bowl. Add 3 tablespoons water and beat with a hand mixer on low speed until the frosting thickens. The icing should be pure white and thick, but not fluffy and bubbly. (If the frosting is overbeaten, it will get aerated, which makes it harder to work with. If this happens, let the frosting sit for a bit to settle, then use a rubber spatula to vigorously beat and smooth out the icing.) Separate the icing into bowls and color as desired.Put the icing into piping bags or resealable plastic bags and snip the corners to the desired size. Use the icing to decorate the cookies, piping on bathing suits and sunglasses.Pipe a little white icing on the widest end of each gumdrop to make a drink with foam. Dot some icing on 1 hand of each gingerbread person and press the drink into the dot to make it stick. Let the cookies set at room temperature, at least 1 hour.For the hot chocolate: 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.To serve, divide the hot chocolate among 6 to 8 mugs. Insert a gingerbread person with its arms resting on the rim. Add whipped cream and marshmallows as bubbles in the hot tubs.Source: foodnetwork.comRecipe formatted with the Cook'n Recipe Software from DVO Enterprises.

GINGERBREAD PEOPLE COOKIES

Steps:

• Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.
• Combine the flour and next 7 ingredients (flour through cloves) in a bowl, and set aside.
• Combine granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat at medium speed of a mixer 5 minutes.
• Add molasses and egg white; beat well.
• Add flour mixture to sugar mixture; beat at low speed until well-blended.
• Divide dough in half, and shape each half into a ball, and wrap in plastic wrap.
• Chill 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Working with 1 half of dough at a time (keep remaining half chilled until ready to use), roll the dough to a 1/8-inch thickness on a heavily floured surface; cut with a 2 1/2-inch boy or girl cookie cutter.
• Place gingerbread cookies 1 inch apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray.
• Arrange currants on cookies as buttons.
• Bake at 350° for 8 minutes.
• Remove from pans; cool on wire racks.
• Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla in a small bowl.
• Spoon into a decorating bag or a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag with a tiny hole snipped in 1 corner of bag, and decorate as desired.

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.