Learn how to make delicious gingerbread cookies, decorate them and turn them into a 3D Christmas tree! I know this video is long and I apologize for that but there are a lot of steps in creating this and they are all shown. You can also use a basic rolled sugar cookie for the parts, that’s just fine.
What you’ll need:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1-1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup margarine (1 stick)
1 egg, beaten
3 cups all-purpose flour
In a large saucepan, combine sugar, molasses, ginger, cinnamon, allspice and cloves. Bring to a boil over medium-hihg heat stirring occasionally. Once it comes to a boil, remove from heat and whisk in baking soda. Mixture will foam up. Add in margarine and stir until melted. Whisk in egg and finally mix in flour. Put onto a floured surface and knead until mixture becomes workable and smooth, about 1 minute.
Divide dough in half and roll out on aluminum foil to just under 1/4″ thick. Cut 2 cookies for each size of cutter in the Wilton 6-pc star cookie cutter set. Remove excess dough from around stars and bake in a preheated 325*F oven for 10-12 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes on the foil and remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the royal icing:
1 cup powdered sugar (confectioners sugar or icing sugar)
1-2 Tbsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
Mix until icing is a thick but workable consistency. When icing is drizzled on top of itself, it should settle back into itself with no trace. Put into a zip lock bag and snip the very corner off the bag.
Decorate the cookies any way you see fit. Let dry for 20-30 minutes. Begin with one of the largest cookies and place onto a plate or platter. Put a dollop of icing in the center and put the second cookie of the same size on top, staggering the points. Let dry for a few minutes. Repeat with remaining pieces in order from largest to smallest, stagering the points of the stars. Let dry for a few hours and then decorate with more royal icing to give the effect of melting snow on the branches.
Enjoy!
Gingerbread recipe came from here: http://www.food.com/recipe/gingerbread-for-cookies-or-a-gingerbread-house-149257
The inspiration for the tree came from here: http://www.madbaker.net/2007/12/mad-about-gingerbread-cookies/
-and here-
http://londonbaking.com/2011/12/18/3d-christmas-tree-gingerbread-biscuits/
