Tried-and-tested recipe adds to the festive moment

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This article was published 22/12/2021 (1750 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Some people need to find that elusive Christmas spirit before they get into the mood for baking holiday treats.

For Winnipeg home baker Lynne Stefanchuk, the weather has to take a wintry turn for her to turn on her oven. Beyond the white Christmas feelings, she has practical reasons.

“I start baking at the beginning of December, or whenever it gets cold enough to start using my balcony as an extra freezer,” she says. “My family and I decided a few years back to stop buying gifts for each other so my holiday shopping is minimal and I have some free time to bake. Baking is one of my favourite creative outlets.”

Stefanchuk provides Gingerbread Cookies for the final recipe in the Free Press’s 12 Days of Christmas Cookies for 2021. It’s a recipe she found on John Kanell’s website Preppy Kitchen (preppykitchen.com/gingerbread-men).

She says she surfs the internet and checks out YouTube for recipes, hints and techniques, describing the video-sharing platform as an at-home culinary school. A tasty result from a tried-and-tested recipe just adds to the festive moment.

“I love experimenting with flavours and learning new techniques. When a recipe works and I get a great response, it feels like what I imagine applause feels to performers,” she says.

Gingerbread Cookies

From John Kanell of Preppy Kitchen
Makes 14 servings

For the cookies
3 cups flour (360g)
2 tsp ground ginger (4g)
1 tsp cinnamon (2g)
1 tsp baking soda (6g)
¼ tsp nutmeg (1g)
¼ tsp salt (1g)
¾ cup butter (170g) room temp
¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar (150g)
½ cup molasses (118mL)
1 egg room temp
1 tsp vanilla extract (5mL)

For the icing
2 egg whites
1 lb confectioners sugar (454g)
¼ tsp cream of tartar (1g)
1 tsp vanilla (5mL)
2-4 tsp water (10-20mL)

For the cookies

In a large bowl, combine flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt.

Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and brown sugar on medium, until fluffy.

Add in the molasses, then the egg and vanilla and mix until combined. Scrape the bowl down and mix once more.

Add in flour mixture gradually while mixing on low until a nice dough formed.

Divide dough in two and roll into disks. Cover with plastic wrap.

Refrigerate for about 4 hours or overnight. This step is important because the dough gets soft quickly and really needs to be thoroughly chilled.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Roll out chilled dough to about ¼-inch thickness.

Cut out gingerbread people/ shapes with a cookie cutter. Carefully transfer to a baking sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool.

For the icing and decoration

Sift the powdered sugar and cream of tartar into a bowl then whisk together.

Add the egg white and mix together.

Once combined, mix in a teaspoon of vanilla and then add water until desired consistency is reached. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip or with the tip snipped off.

Pipe decorations onto the cooled cookies.

Add sprinkles and or candies for added visual interest.

Optional: Create gingerbread Christmas trees by stacking larger-to-smaller sizes of snowflake or star cookie shapes. Secure pieces using icing as glue. Decorate as desired.

Notes

Adding too much flour will make cookies dense and dry. The best way to measure the flour is by using a kitchen scale. If you don’t have one, fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup and level with a knife.

If you are concerned about using raw egg whites for the icing, use egg whites from pasteurized eggs.

Alan.Small@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @AlanDSmall