Christmas Gingerbread House

This is our third year making a gingerbread house of our own, and I think I have finally found a fantastic gingerbread biscuit recipe. This was a dream to work with, from the dough through to cooking it. It does spread quite a lot even with loads of dough chilling time, but I'm yet to find one that doesn't.

This recipe is from Mima Sinclair in the December 2015 edition of Delicious magazine. Due to our inability to use royal icing because of allergies, this year I again used caramel 'glue' to stick the house together. It's so quick to try and bond the sides together. I did use regular icing for the rest, but it needs to be quite thick to hold everything in place.

This dough makes the MOST delicious biscuits - I cooked the trees (and holly leaves/presents I made for the teacher's gifts) for 10 mins and then iced once cool. This made the biscuits soft-ish in the centre, and no word of a lie, they were absolutely amazing!
For the gingerbread house I cooked longer for a crisper biscuit.

We love adding extras like the trees and the marshmallow snowman. I managed to use the Easter carrot sprinkles yet again for the nose...oh and we even added some 'seasonal' mushrooms to the scene this year too!

My son's favourite part (besides the sweeties) is putting the snow on top. 

Gingerbread dough

Ingredients:

• 140g golden syrup
• 200g soft light brown sugar
• 200g unsalted butter
• 4 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp bicarb of soda (baking soda)
• 500g plain flour
• 1tsp salt
• 1 medium free-range egg, lightly beaten

1. Pour the golden syrup into a large saucepan with the sugar, butter and spices, then heat over a low-medium heat until the sugar has dissolved.

2. Increase the heat to bring mixture to boiling point, then take off the heat and beat in the bi-carb of soda. The mixture will froth and bubble at this point as the bicarb reacts - mix briefly until combined and leave to cool for 15 mins, then pour into a large mixing bowl (I used my stand mixer bowl),

3. Sift the flour and salt, then fold into the spiced sugar mixture in batches, using a wooden spoon or stand mixer. Beat in the egg until just combined. Don't over work the mixture of the biscuits will spread too much during baking (they spread anyway, but this may stop it going too far!)

4. The dough can be quite sticky to begin with but don't add any extra flour unless you absolutely have to, and even then use just a sprinkling - the minimum you can to get it less sticky and usable. Scrape out the bowl onto a clean surface and knead together until just smooth.

At this stage you can wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for an hour or until cool. But I prefer to roll the dough out between sheets of baking/parchment paper to the thickness I want the biscuits to be. I then chill the ready rolled dough on trays ready to cut afterwards. It's much easier than rolling out fridge-hardened dough.

5. Cut out the house pieces using the template and place them on the parchment paper straight onto a baking tray. Don't try and lift it off the paper, as it will go out of shape. It will  spread slightly when cooked so to help avoid this, put the tray back into the fridge or freezer for 10 mins before baking. See instructions below for more detail.

6. Bake each tray for around 15-20 mins (depending on the size of the pieces) on 160 degrees C, or until slightly browned on the edges.  Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack ready for decorating.

Caramel 'glue'

Ingredients:

• 200g caster sugar
• 60ml cold water
• a few drops of lemon juice (optional but I found this stops the sugar syrup crystallising)
• sugar thermometer (optional)

1. Put the sugar and water and lemon juice if using, in a large, lowsided frying pan over a medium to high heat. Without stirring, bring to 160deg C on a sugar thermometer. If you don;t have one, the syrup is ready when the sugar has dissolved and it turns a light golden colour.

2. Swirl the syrup gently in the pan to even out the colour. Take the pan off the heat and leave to cool for a few moments to thicken slightly to the consistency of honey.

3. If the syrup begins to harden, put it back over a gentle heat until it has returned to the required consistency.

Royal Icing (basic)

• 500g royal icing sugar, sifted
• 80ml water

1. Sift the icing sugar into a bowl, adding the water andmix until a thick paste forms. Add more water as required but only a drop or two at a time. If you make it too runny, you can add more icing sugar to thicken it up.

2. Put into a piping bag ready to use on the house.

Royal Icing (egg free)

• 90ml (1/3c) aquafaba
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 4c icing/powdered sugar

1. Pour aquafaba into a mixing bowl and mix with electric beater until it starts to foam.

2. Add vanilla and sugar and whisk for about 5 mins until the mixture is thick and very white.

3. Add a very small amount of water ( a few drops) if the icing is too stiff. You need it to be thick icing though, as it is used as glue to stick the house together.

4. Put into a piping bag ready to use on the house.

To Make the House

• 2 quantities of the gingerbread dough. You won't need all of it, but you will need more than one. The rest can be used to make biscuits.
• 1 quantity of the caramel glue or royal icing mix
• jelly beans, dolly mix, mini candy canes, marshmallows or any other sweets you like, to decorate
• piping bag
• gingerbread house template
• pizza wheel or sharp knife
• star/heart shaped cookie cutter
• boiled sweets, whole, for the windows

1. Print and cut out the template onto baking paper. Heat the oven to 160 deg C. Cut out two large sheets of baking paper and roll the dough out in batches to 5mm thick. 

2. Place the template onto the dough and cut out the first shape. It's easiest to use a pizza wheel for this, otherwise a sharp knife. Leave the piece of cut dough on the paper and transfer to a baking sheet - this avoids it losing its shape while being transferred. 

3. Place into the freezer for 10 mins while you do the next piece. If adding sweets to the windows, place the colour you want, then bake for 20 mins until golden at the edges.

4. As soon as it comes out of the oven, place the template back onto the shape and re-cut, as it will have spread. This is REALLY important so it fits together properly. Leave to cool for 5 mins and then transfer paper and biscuit to a wire rack to cool completely.

5. Using the icing, add detail to the windows, around the star/heart and around the door. It's easier to do this before you stick it together.

6. While that icing sets, make the caramel glue if using to stick the house together. Once it is ready, dip the ends of one side of the house into the caramel and glue the front and back to the side. Repeat for the other side.

7. To attach the roof, I find it useful to add the tips of toothpicks to help anchor it into the base. I put two per side. Add the caramel/icing to the base and then lay the roof on, pushing it firmly into the base and the toothpicks. Remember to remove them when eating.

8. The caramel glue sets almost instantly, so you can decorate virtually straight away.

9. I like to add a couple of trees, the marshmallow snowman (he has a toothpick in the middle to attach the marshmallows together). The sky is the limit really, be creative!

10. Oh and then add your snow with a fine sieve and icing sugar!

 

 

Caramel Koala Macarons

 

Happy Australia Day 2015!
To celebrate my national day, even though I don't live there anymore, I have done some Aussie baking. I made some lamingtons (which I will post on here soon) and these little koala macarons. I can't claim to have invented these - they come from one of my favourite Sydney bloggers, Steph at Raspberri Cupcakes. Click the link to see her original ones. I use a slightly different macaron recipe, but by all means try hers out - I used to use it, but found it didn't suit my oven as much as my current one does. This is the second time I have made these - the first time was right at the beginning of my macaron journey and compared to these they looks pretty rough. But the word 'journey' is apt here, as it truly has been a journey to 'perfect' them.

Steph, in her original made the caramel filling, but I always cheat and use the Carnation Condensed Milk ready made Caramel. I simply love it. And combined with the chocolate ganache, it's absolutely delicious, giving a little 'surprise inside' experience.

Piped out and ready to 'rest'.

 

This is not a great photo, but you get the idea of the template I use. I'm not professional enough to get them all consistent without something like this.

 

Caramel Koala Macarons (or Caramello Koala Macarons)

If you are new to macarons, Brave Tart has a lot of good advice on how to make them. I did a lot of reading before I started, and I have made a lot of batches to perfect them. I also did a short course one day to be taught in a practical way. But reading lots of blogs, really does help.

Makes about 20  whole

Ingredients:

 

100 grams ground almonds (I actually use about 110g to then allow for large bits that can't be sieved)
100-110g egg whites (about 3 egg whites)
185g icing (powdered) sugar
4 tablespoons caster sugar
black food colouring

 

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 140° C.
2. Push the ground almond through a sieve to get rid of any large pieces or lumps.
3. Mix the icing sugar together with the ground almonds in a food processor. I do this twice - sieve, food processor, sieve, food processor.
4. In a large bowl, whip the egg whites with a hand- or stand mixer. As the egg whites start foaming, add the sugar one tablespoon at a time and continue whipping until the mixture is glossy and stiff - this takes about 9 mins. Add any colour at this stage and mix for a further minute. You should be able to hold the bowl upside down without the meringue sliding out.
5. Fold the dry mix carefully and slowly into the meringue, use a spatula. You need to ensure the wet and dry ingredients are well incorporated at this stage, and that most of the air has been squashed out. Don't overmix! You want the mixture to fall off the spatula like lava. At this stage I took a couple of spoonfuls out, added a lot of extra black colouring to make the nose and put that into its own piping bag with a very narrow nozzle.
6. Fill your main piping bag plus a smaller one, narrow nozzle (for the ears) and pipe the macarons onto a baking sheet. I use a template I made up as a guideline under the baking paper - it has the circle for the head and smaller round ears. See photo above.
7. Tap the tray firmly but carefully a couple of times on a solid surface to let any air bubbles escape. Add the nose to each koala then carefully add the ear decoration. I could only find stars, so I used those.
8. Let them set for 60 minutes to form a dry skin.
9. Bake for about 14-16 minutes. Let cool completely, then fill with piped chocolate ganache and caramel and sandwich them together.
10.  Remember to put your filled macarons into the fridge in a sealed container for 24 hours; this process helps the flavours to develop. Macarons are best eaten after being out of the fridge for about an hour.

Ganache:

1. Finely chop the chocolate.
2. Heat the double cream in a small saucepan on a low to medium heat until it begins to bubble and steam. You want it to be hot enough to melt the chocolate easily.
3. Pour the cream over the chocolate in a heatproof bowl, stir slightly and allow to sit for a few minutes.
4. Whisk the chocolate and cream mixture until it becomes smooth and silky. If there are still lumps of chocolate you can place the bowl over a saucepan is simmering water to reheat and melt further.
5. Pour the melted mixture into a flat pan and place in the fridge to chill. Cover with cling film to avoid a skin forming. It is ready to pipe into the macarons when it has set. If it is too hard, leave on your bench for a few minutes, but remember, just by piping it, it will warm up in your hands anyway.

Out of the oven, cooled and decorated. I use a black edible pen to draw the facial features. Ready to fill.

 

I use this caramel, but if you don't have access to it in this form, you can make your own dulce de leche ( recipe here again from Raspberri Cupcakes). My grandma used to make it this way....ooohhhh the memories...)

I pipe a ring of the chocolate ganache first, as the caramel is too runny to hold in on its own.

 

All snuggled up together

 

Cute little fellas, aren't they?

 

Enjoy!

Ginger Snap and Caramel Tartlets - NO BAKING NEEDED

Welcome to 2015 and my first post for the new year. Today I'll post how to make some of the little bite sized tartlets I took to my friend's NYE party last night.

These are so simple to make and take literally about 6 minutes. They are perfect for a last minute dish to take and really yummy as a party dessert. I was reminded of this recipe from my friend Chrissie in Australia, she whipped them up after lunch one day while we were visiting and it took me back to many years ago when I used to make them, well before I had my baking 'bug'.


Gingersnap and Caramel Tartlets

Ingredients:
1 x packet of gingersnap biscuits (ginger nut in Australia)
1 x tin of Condensed Milk Caramel
whipped double cream
chocolate shavings

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to about 150 deg C. Place the biscuits into a fairy cake tin - one per hole. (Muffin tins are too big for this, making the smaller cupcake/fairy cake tins ideal).
2. Put the tray into the oven for 4 mins. Be careful, These will burn very quickly if left - set a timer and stay close!
3. Remove from oven and quickly use the back of a dessert spoon to make an indent in the middle, pushing down and rounding if off to make it into a bowl shape. Put them all onto a cooling rack to cool and harden.
4. Once cooled, put a teaspoon of caramel mix into each tartlet, top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. I piped the cream as it looks a big nicer, but otherwise spoon it on. I also made the chocolate shavings using a vegetable peeler on the side of the block. Very easy.

Enjoy!
So simple.



Chocolate Caramel Macarons

I love macarons - anyone who knows me, knows that. I have been making them for a couple of years now, with mixed results. The thing to always remember with macarons, is that whether they work or not, they always taste good.
I had stopped making them a while ago after a few failed batches - when I say failed, to my super critical eye, they didn't work, but to my loyal taste testers, they were fine! I was convinced my oven was not working well enough for such a delicate treat.
Anyway this week I decided to try a new recipe and see how it went. I must say, I was so thrilled when they turned out perfectly. And taste oh so goooood.

 

I'll show you some of the steps I did to fill the macarons, as I have used a combination of flavours. I made a dark chocolate ganache, which I used on the outside of the filling, and then I used pre-made (gulp!) caramel. I thought about making my own but I love the Carnation Milk caramel. The problem it, it is too runny to use on it's own, so that's why I used the ganache to hold it in. The result is a really lovely combination of flavours, with the gooey caramel being the little surprise inside!

 

 

 

 

Remember to put your filled macarons into the fridge in a sealed container for 24 hours; this process helps the flavours to develop. Macarons are best eaten after being out of the fridge for about an hour.



Chocolate Caramel Macarons

Makes about 35 whole

Ingredients:

 

100 grams ground almonds (I actually use about 110g to then allow for large bits that can't be sieved)
100-110g egg whites (about 3 egg whites)
15g cocoa powder
185g icing (powdered) sugar
4 tablespoons caster sugar

 

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 150° C.
2. Push the ground almond through a sieve to get rid of any large pieces or lumps.
3. Mix the icing sugar and cocoa powder together with the ground almonds in a food processor. I do this twice - sieve, food processor, sieve, food processor.
4. In a large bowl, whip the egg whites with a hand- or stand mixer. As the egg whites start foaming, add the sugar one tablespoon at a time and continue whipping until the mixture is glossy and stiff. You should be able to hold the bowl upside down without the meringue sliding out.
5. Fold the dry mix carefully and slowly into the meringue, use a spatula. Add food colouring if desired until fully mixed. Don't overmix! You want the mixture to fall off the spatula like lava.
6. Fill your piping bag and pipe the macarons onto a baking sheet. Let them set for 60 minutes to form a dry skin.
7. Bake for about 14-16 minutes. Let cool completely, then fill with piped chocolate ganache and caramel and sandwich them together.