Snow Capped Gingerbread Trains Food

GINGERBREAD TRAIN

Steps:

• Put the sugar, syrup, butter and a pinch of salt in a saucepan set over a medium heat and bubble for 1-2 mins, stirring to combine. Remove from the heat and set aside. Tip the flour, bicarb and spices into a large bowl, pour over the warm syrup mixture and egg, stirring to combine. The dough will seem soft, but will firm up in the fridge. Cover and chill for at least 30 mins, or overnight. Will keep wrapped in the freezer for up to two months.
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and line two baking trays with baking parchment. Dust the work surface with a little flour and divide the dough into two large balls. Roll each ball out to the thickness of a £1 coin and use the downloadable template to cut out the train parts A-D. You will need two A pieces, one B piece, two C pieces and three D pieces, plus 10 small wheels (about 2cm in diameter) and two larger wheels (about 4cm in diameter). Use biscuit cutters or the wide end of a piping nozzle to stamp out the wheels. Use what remains for gingerbread stars or people, if you like. Transfer all the pieces to the prepared trays.
• Bake for 10-12 mins, swapping the trays around halfway through, until slightly risen and golden brown. The gingerbread will expand as it bakes, so trim back into shape while still warm using a small sharp knife and the templates again. Leave to cool completely on the trays.
• For the decorations, mix the icing sugar with just enough water to make a thick icing the consistency of melted chocolate. Spoon into a piping bag and snip off the end, then draw windows on the A pieces, spokes on the wheel pieces and any other decorations you like, adding the sprinkles and balls while the icing is still wet.
• To assemble the driver's carriage, use the icing to glue the two A pieces to the B piece (for the taller back of the carriage), then glue one of the D pieces to the front. For the second carriage glue the two C pieces together with two D pieces. Use cans to support the sides while the icing sets, if needed (at least 30 mins). Glue three small wheels to both sides of the second carriage. Glue one large wheel at the back of the driver's carriage, on both sides, then two small ones beside those. Leave to set for another 30 mins.
• Use any leftover icing to decorate the train, sticking sprinkles and silver balls to its sides. Leave to set for a final 30 mins, then fill the carriages with the wrapped sweets. The assembled train will keep in an airtight cake tin or on display (covered overnight to protect from dust) for up to four weeks.

GINGERBREAD CAKE WITH SNOW SUGAR

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Brush the bottoms and sides of two 9-by-3-inch loaf pans with oil. Line the bottoms with parchment paper leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides, then brush the paper with oil.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the whole eggs, egg yolks, molasses and vanilla until smooth. In a small bowl, mix the buttermilk with 1/3 cup of hot water.
• In a large bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, salt, nutmeg and cloves. Add the brown sugar and mix very well. Add the butter and oil and mix until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Slowly drizzle in the egg mixture and stir until incorporated, then whisk in the buttermilk mixture until smooth, scraping around the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary.
• Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pans, then sprinkle half the candied ginger on top of each cake. Bake until the cakes feel bouncy and a tester inserted in the centers comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer the cakes to a rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Unmold the cakes, being sure to peel off the parchment paper, and cool completely on the rack, right-side up.
• When ready to serve, place a gingerbread cake on a serving platter, then sift 1/2 cup of the Snow Sugar in a sieve over the top of the cake until dusted.
• Place the sugar and cornstarch in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Slowly drizzle in the coconut oil while whisking until the mixture comes together; it may clump together slightly but should redistribute fairly evenly to look like coarse breadcrumbs. If you are going to use the snow sugar immediately, place the bowl in the refrigerator for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the coconut oil to solidify; it can also be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use. When you are ready to use, break up any large clumps, then place the snow sugar in a fine sieve and press lightly on the sugar to sift over the top of the cake to create a snowy effect.

GINGERBREAD TRAIN - WORKS WELL WITH A GINGERBREAD HOUSE.

Steps:

• Melt the butter, add golden syrup and 2 drops of vanilla.
• Stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and egg.
• Add the flour, seived, bit by bit. When it starts to become a very stiff mixture you may find it easier to use your hands. Keep adding flour until the dough is ready to be handled.
• Sprinkle flour over your work space and roll out the dough to about 1/2 inch thickness.
• Cut out your train shape. (Tip: draw onnto card and use as template) you do't need to add wheels so a smaller rectangle on top of another rectacle is sufficient.
• Cut out your carriages.
• Bake these on a greased tray with space in between as they will expand. Bake for approx 10 minutes. Until edges are golden. Remove and cool on wire rack.
• Make thick icing and spread along your plate/tray/serving platter. This will hold the train in place.
• Place the train into the icing and add the wine gums for wheels.
• Prepare 3 smaller amounts of icing in seperate bowls, with a lighter consistancy and add colorings.This is for decorating the tops of your carriages with cargo, or adding icing letters.
• Decorate the train, platter, icing etc however you like with spinkles, silver balls etc.