:: Not the Gumdrop Button... ::

Meg’s Vanilla Bean & Gingerbread Cookies

:: Megann’s Kitchen ::

:: gingerbread men & rudolf reindeer - two ways ::

I have fond holiday memories of Gingerbread Houses growing up. It wasn’t something my mum made, however family friends would sometimes make the most amazing gingerbread houses at Christmas time that I admired with wonder, also a watering mouth. The kids would all demolish it together with squeals of delight… eating the gumdrop lolly features & hardened icing first, of course!

Strangely enough, it was also going to Pizza Hut in the big city of Albury (an hours drive from where we lived) & always getting a gingerbread man for the ride home. Back then, I didn’t really like the foreign ginger taste in a cookie, but grew to love the spiced sweetness that you encounter with this special cookie. I would eat the icing with sprinkles off first, changing the colour of my face, then follow onto the cookie. Yum.

:: my favourite gingerbread man copper cookie cutter ::

Now that I have a child of my own, I would also like him to have the same fond recollections of Gingerbread at special occasions. Each birthday I have made him this recipe & now we are making Christmas Cookies in festive shapes for him to put icing “squeeze” on to & to decorate with friends. I am yet to attempt a Gingerbread House, but the next Christmas that we have at our house, you can bet on it!

Ginger Cookie Recipe

125g butter, softened

⅓ cup brown sugar

⅓ cup golden syrup

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tsp of vanilla bean paste or seeds of 1 vanilla bean

2 cups plain flour

⅓ cup self raising flour

1 Tbs ground ginger

1 tsp bicarbonate soda

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Prepare 3 cookie trays with baking paper. Note: Make sure they can also fit into your freezer. Use an electric mixer to beat the butter, sugar, vanilla & golden syrup together until pale & creamy. Add the egg gradually & beat until combined. Add the flours, ginger spices, bircarb soda & place your mixer on slow until just combined. Turn out onto a floured surface & knead until smooth, for about 1-2 minutes.

Take off one of your baking papers from a cookie tray. Roll out approximately a third of the dough on the baking paper until about 5mm (1/4 inch) thick. Lift the paper & place onto your baking tray & put into the freezer for 10 minutes to chill, or until firm enough to cut. While this is chilling, repeat the process & roll out some more dough to place in the freezer. 
Carefully lift the paper of chilled rolled gingerbread off the tray & press out your shapes. Cautiously place them onto a cookie tray with baking paper underneath. Place into the oven while the dough is still cool & bake in oven for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden. 
Cool on trays then transfer to a cooling rack. 

Ice with Megann's Basic Royal Icing if desired.

Store

:: In an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

:: golden syrup goodness ::

:: about to mix together - soft butter & sweeteners ::

  

Kitchen Notes

:: For Christmas I add a little bit of Christmas with my spices: such as Cinnamon, Nutmeg or Allspice. eg- 1½  tsp dried ginger & ½ tsp of mixed Christmas spice for this mixture quantity. Be sure to taste the dough - depending on the age of your spices they will have different intensities.

:: If you find that your cookies are creating crease like cracks in the top, it means your mixture is too dry. Try one of two solutions: whilst on the baking tray, place your cut out cookies back into the freezer to seize the cookie dough once again before baking. A fiddly, yet more effective, solution is to place the dough back into your mixing bowl, add more moisture (such as milk) to your mixture & combine on a slow speed with electric beaters.

:: For gifts, birthdays & special occasions, I place the gingerbread cookies into a cello bag & tie it with a matching ribbon – what a great way to make a simple cookie a little more presentable.

:: dry ingredients ::

:: delicious dough - ready to be rolled ::

:: rolling out to the perfect thickness - then into the freezer ::

Quick Kitchen

:: I have prepared the dough up to two days in advance, keeping it well covered in cling wrap in the fridge. Simply take the dough out of the fridge & sit on the bench top at least an hour before rolling. I find that it does produce a dryer dough, so make a more “wet” batch if this is your intention. Always check the consistency of the mixture before baking to prevent cracks (see above in kitchen notes).

:: I also use Queens Vanilla Bean Paste for my cookies, available from all good supermarkets in the baking section.

:: decorating Christmas fun with coloured Royal Icing ::

:: "mummy & me" - decorating efforts ::

Little Larder

:: When making this recipe for the kids, I halve the amount of the dried ginger ingredient so there is only a hint of the spiced flavouring. They find this non-offensive & more enjoyable. If you are also tentative about ginger, add it in 1 tsp amounts & taste the dough as you go.

:: For the kids to decorate the cookies, see my basic Royal Icing Recipe & Little Larder tips.

:: just some of a double batch - before being decorated with my Royal Icing ::

Recipe Doubled for birthdays, gifts & guests

250g butter, softened

⅔ cup brown sugar

⅔ cup golden syrup

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 tsp of vanilla bean paste or seeds of 2 vanilla beans

4 cups plain flour

⅔ cup self-raising flour

2 Tbs ground ginger

2 tsp bicarbonate soda

:: matching my cookies to a birthday invite - by Sajaro Occasional Stationary ::

:: Merry Christmas to everyone - love Megann's Kitchen ::

Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year to everyone who reads & follows Megann’s Kitchen – your loyal support makes this adventure so rewarding… THANK YOU ALL!!!

:: Afternoon Tea Delight ::

Beautiful Buttermilk Scones

:: Megann’s Kitchen ::

:: buttermilk scones with home-made strawberry compote ::

I always thought the true test of being a good Australian wife was being able to make scones to perfection... the kind that actually rose high & were light & fluffy, that could win a blue ribbon at the Royal Easter Show. Well, I am not sure if these would win first prize & I don’t know what the CWA would think of my scones, but I have to say after quite a few years of striving toward the perfect scone I just adore the divine flaky texture of the buttermilk variety. I found this recipe in Stephanie Alexander’s Cooks Companion & once I tried it, I haven’t looked back. It is simple, easy to follow & has great results every time. Stephie's sister says you should have the scones timed so as your guests are walking up the path to your door you are taking them out of the oven and I tend to agree.

I have to say, along my road to scone perfection my husband has simply loved eating my trials, mishaps & I’ll admit it, darn rock hard scones. I think I have learned over time that the scone itself doesn’t have to be perfect for me to be a good Australian wife, just a happy husband & family. So, have a go at these simple scones as the end result doesn’t really matter, as long as they make you sweetly content as you eat them.

500 grams self-raising flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 Tbs caster sugar

100 gms chilled butter, chopped

300 ml buttermilk

Extra buttermilk, for brushing

Strawberry jam and whipped cream, to serve

:: process until fine breadcrumbs ::

  

Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F). Line one large baking tray with baking paper. In a food processor pulse your flour, baking powder, caster sugar & butter until it resembles fine bread crumbs. Tip the mixture into a large bowl & make a well in the middle & add the buttermilk. Stir the mixture as best you can. Tip the mixture out onto a lightly floured surface & gently knead until it comes together. Don’t worry if you leave a little of dry mixture behind. Using a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough until 3cm or just over 1 inch thick. Using a 6.5cm round cutter, press out the scones by twisting at the same time & place the scones closely together on the prepared tray. Press any leftover dough together & repeat. Brush the scones with buttermilk for a lovely golden colour & bake for 12-15 minutes.

Makes 10 x-large scones + one for the cook!

:: press & twisting out my scones from the dough ::

Kitchen Notes

:: By using a “twist” action as you press out your scones, you actually cut the dough instead of pushing them out, so it is easier for them to rise.

:: Another tip is they are ready when they sound hollow when tapped on!

:: If you don’t have a food processor, you can mix the butter & the flour together the way I learned as a young girl at school! Mix the flour, baking powder & sugar in a large bowl. Using your fingertips rub in the butter until no large lumps remain. It doesn’t have to be perfect, then continue with adding the buttermilk. Always, always run your hands under cold water to have chilled hands as to not melt the butter when using this method.

:: Don’t keep your scones for longer than 2 days, & if you have to reheat them, I warm them in the oven on about 150°C.

:: For slightly smaller scones, use a 5.5cm or 6cm cutter, this will also yield more.

:: brushing with buttermilk ::

Style: As scones are an old world tradition in Australia, pay homage to the woman of yesteryear & keep some vintage cutlery for special guests & afternoon teas. I guarantee that a lovely bone butterknife or intricate teaspoon will also be a conversation starter!

:: buttermilk scones ready to eat- fresh from the oven ::

Serve: I serve my scones warm; broken in half by hand with a side of butter, chantilly cream & home-made strawberry compote. Oh, heaven....

 

:: my husband tucking into scones with jam & cream ::

 

Source: Recipe modified, only slightly, from Stephanie Alexander's the Cook's Companion.

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