Gingerbread family

Last year, my son asked why we don't put the Christmas tree at home and invite Santa.Without much hesitation and thoughts, we just ended up buying a Christmas tree and started decorating! Brought a gift from his wish list, sneaked in the garage until Christmas Eve. Wrap into gift and kept near the tree before he woke up! Like all kids, he thought Santa came while he was sleeping! We cannot truly connect to his world of joy.
At least for me, I remember, my mom lighting candles and decorating with flowers, for the bronze statue of Mary which she brought at Lourdes! Born Hindu, my parents let us set the Nativity set at home. They gave us quiet a freedom. But it was ironic to see the Ganesha- Saraswaty idols in middle of Joseph, Mary and Little Jesus! My brother gave a "silly" interpretation, well he was responsible to setting every year!
I received a convent education, daily prayers, carol, chapel was not new! My memories are still crisp, visiting the nativity set and tree at recess time!Most of my school friends were catholic, talked about their gifts stories! It was a fantasy world for me at that time.
Ok, this year we just put the tree and the gift? We ordered online and received when my son was at home. But , explained Santa sent him earlier and not to open before Christmas. Poor guy, he counts his days.
The recipe has nothing to do with the above story line. Coming to gingerbread cookie, he requested long back! He had fun cutting and decorating his cookies. Did you notice there is a missing gingerbread boys! Haha he left all gals alone for me (I could only save one man for the picture)!
The cookies are realy crisp and store well for a week! The original recipe comes from here.It is a kids friendly recipe!



Ingredients:

All purpose flour: 2 3/4 cups + extra for dusting
Baking powder: 2 1/2 tsp
Ground Ginger: 1 tbsp
Ground cinnamon: 1 1/2 tsp
Grated nutmeg: 1/2 tsp
Salt: 1/4 tsp
Unsalted butter: 8 tbsp (1 stick) at room temperature
Light brown sugar : 2 /3 cup packed firmly
Vanilla extract: 1 tsp
Egg: 1
Dark molasses : 1/3 cup (I used Unsulphured )

Mixing and baking:

Mix the dry ingredients first:
In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients together with a wooden spoon: flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar and vanilla together for 3 min. It should come out creamy.
Add the egg and molasses and beat in medium speed until well blended.
Turn the mixer in low speed and add slowly the flour, beat until all come together. It may look crumbly.
Dump the flour mixture in work surface and press together. Divide the dough in half and make a flat disc and wrap it.

Refrigerate the dough until firm.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease the cookie sheets.

Sprinkle little flour in work surface, unwrap the dough and roll into 1/4 thickness. Cut the dough with cookie cutter. Collect the scrap dough and repeat the same process, rolling cutting, etc..
Place the cutouts cookies spacing apart each others. Bake for 10 to 12 min. If you do different size of cutting, baking time vary....


For the icing.

Powdered sugar: 1 cup
Milk: 1 tbsp ( use few drops first and proceed to desire consistency)

Method
In a bowl, add the sugar and add slowly the milk, whisk briefly. Fill a piping bag or ziploc bag. If the icing is runny, leave it few hours in room temperature, it will start to hard or u can always increase the powdered sugar.

When the cookies are completely cooled- have fun decorating with your kid. Just cut the end of ziploc bag and let your creativity jingle....

Special Note: I thank each and everyone who left ur appreciations on my previous post and for all entries which keep coming for MEC event!


I may come up with another post before Christmas - if not I wish everyone a Merry Xmas and a Safe Holiday Season for those who is blowing out the snow.

Comments

Unknown said…
Lovely write up Cham :) I especially love the part where you tell about being in a fantasy world when all our friends describe their presents :) I used to feel the same too , especially on easter when they tell abt the easter eggs :)
Uma said…
ha, ha, ha, santa sending the gift earlier!! I think my older one knew that Santa wasn't real, but doesn't want to admit :). But for my little one, she still believes that Santa brings her presents if she is a good girl. We even leave cookies and milk for Santa (which we eat sneakily :))

Gingerbread family looks so cute Cham!! Perfect treat for christmas.
Unknown said…
Great to hear the SAnta story and the gingerbread look so cute!
Poornima Nair said…
We too celebrated all festivals as kids and Christmas was definitely one of my favorites. The cookies look awesome.
Priya Suresh said…
Even its happens rite now here at home, everyone is counting their days to open the gifts..Gingerbread family looks fantastic and cute..
Indhu said…
It is nice to have such traditions :)
love the gingerbread cookie... they have a lovely colour!
Unknown said…
Those gingerbread cookies look awesome. I made couple of them and yet to post it. You have a nice holiday.
Unknown said…
Nice reading.. For the first time i too made some sugar cookies for my little one to take for her christmas party.

Ginger family looks cute..
Manju said…
thats soo cute!! :)

lovely cookies too..even i just posted a gingerbread cookie recipe :)
Sujatha said…
My daughter used to be exactly the same until last year, she counts her days to open her gift for christmas :) But now, she is old enough to understand Santa isn't real :)

Gingerbread cookies look perfect and cute!
Lakshmi said…
ehehehe..you have created a nice and happy family for Christmas. Merry Christmas to you and your family!
perfect cookies and nice story!
Gita Jaishankar said…
This is such a sweet story...you son is going to be happily surprised this X-mas too :) You have got a cute gingerbread family going on there! Cham I know you are from Pondicherry, did you do you schooling in Cluny? that was my school too.
Cham said…
Gita:Exactly mine was French Cluny and next Lycee Francais!
prasu said…
Grat write up about Santa dear......cute ginger bread family.
s said…
loved reading the post..and the cookies look superb...
notyet100 said…
cookies look so good together,.thnks for the recipe,..
Rahin said…
what a cute family ... its good to see that joy on your kids face m sure ur son loved the cookies too
SE said…
hey nice write up...hope you son is enjoying and having as much fun!!!...the cookies look perfect !!
ohh those cookies look gr8....yummy.
Raks said…
So cute the cookies are :) Looks like ur kid had fun making shapes!
Nandinis food said…
Awww! That's cute! I mean both the story and the cookies are cute! Poor boy! Sigh! I don't feel like eating those cookies as they're cute!
Unknown said…
The cookies look soo cute, how cud u eat them?! ;) so pretty they look!
Cilantro said…
Ginger bread looks cute. Nice writeup too.
Deepa G Joshi said…
what a cute family :) and a very great write up..Merry Christmas!!
Lavanya Raj said…
Nice Family Pic Cham. Glad ur son left one man out to you!!
jayasree said…
Cute looking gingerbread family...
sayantani said…
i also started baking cookies this year. had not baked ginger bread yet...the family of cookies look so cute. love them.
would use your recipe for making my ginger bread cookies.
Lovely write up.....
Heyy good to know that the santa story continues... still... We r yet to buy a christmas tree... may b next yr
Cutie Gingerbreads:)
Usha said…
Lovely post, Cham ! Hope your son is having a lot of fun this season...the gingerbread cookies look cute and yum :-)
Deepthi Shankar said…
nice write-up Cham. Happy Holidays
Bong Mom said…
They look so damn cute :)
lata raja said…
Cham I keep virgin Mary and Christ in my altar too. Convent up bringing!!!! I hope your son does enjoy the present santa sent him very early.
sowjanya said…
Yummy! they look evenly baked..

Jesus and Ganesha together.Quite a modern christmas-golu.. and provide ginger bread cookies instead of sundal :)

You are from pondy?? Gosh Cham. I studied in a place 30 mins from there....chidambaram..ECR roads and shopping..I miss them..

Happy Holidays to you and to your family.
Priya dharshini said…
merry christmas..cookies season is on...
ohh those look sooooo cute cham. very nice pic as usual.
Parita said…
Oh these look so cute and adorable!
PJ said…
Gingerbread cookies look excellent! and an equally charming writeup too :) This is my first time visiting your blog, loved it! You have a great space here.
Miri said…
Very cute :) he must have been really happy with the smiling Gingerbread family :)
Sumi said…
enjoyed reading your post.
delicious cookies, Its my list named "to be baked".
Nithya Praveen said…
Ha ha loved reading ur post.I studied in a christian college and used to visit the chapel and lighted candles.Once i got the candles home n kept it in the Pooja room and My Dad freaked out.He aint that easy with it:) I still remember how he reacted that day..lol!The Gingerbread family looks wonderful,actually i tried baking ginger breads to make the house for the daring bakers challenge,they are tasty:).Yours looks very cute Cham!
Vrinda said…
Perfect gingerbread family,looks cute and lovely presentation...Merry x'mas.....
sandhya said…
nice reading your story... cute gingerbread family....
Soma said…
WOW how cute.. i haven't done a thing this year

Happy Holidays & Happy New year to you and your loved ones.
Pravs said…
lovely gingerbread family.Wishing you happy holidays and have a lovely christmas.
Laavanya said…
What a sweet little gingerbread family that is - happy holidays Cham.
Vaishali said…
Dear Cham, reading about your Jesus and Mary sitting among the Ganeshas and Saraswatis made me smile.
I wish you and your family very happy holidays and a great new year.
Madhavi said…
Oh cuteeeee lil family :))
Red Chillies said…
Looks good Cham... wishing you and your family Happy Holidays!
Malar Gandhi said…
Great write-up buddy...infact I could relate so much to myself...we celebrated all the fetivals, because of my brother...back then. Sure, living in a plural society...its a very good thing to do 'festivals are meant for happiness'.:)

I am glad that you bought him a gift already:)

Ginger cookies looks adorable:)

Merry Christmas to you and your entire family, happy holidays:)
Vibaas said…
Merry Xmas Cham! And those are so cute :)
fimere said…
de sublimes biscuits j'en croquerai volontiers
à bientôt
Ruchikacooks said…
Coincidence. I just checked here to see if you are back so that I could send some appetizers your way :)
Namitha said…
What a cute and yummy family of gingerbread cookies...Hope you had a great X'mas :-)
FoodLovers said…
Lovely write up ...
enjoyed reading urs .. iam sure ur kid might have enjoyed his christmas with all decorations .. and of course his gift ...
cookies looks great cham ..
MR said…
so true with kids
my son wanted to leave carrots for the reindeer::)
Happy holidays
Anonymous said…
Arey Cham...put some pics of your Christmas tree! Loved your Christmas story :) And the gingerbread family looks adorable! Looks like your son was a very good boy this year as Santa brought him an early present ;)
Vaishali said…
Gosh, Cham, how cute is that? I just want to pick up one of those cute little guys and snap his head right off! :)
A very happy new year!
my kitchen said…
Wishing you and your family a very happy and prosperous New Year dear:)
notyet100 said…
hppy new yr 2010,..
ruchikacooks said…
Wishing you and your family a very happy new year cham!
bee said…
wish you a wonderful new year, dear cham.