Christmas Recipes: Edible Gifts No.3 of 8 - Gingerbread Decorations

Ho Ho Ho! Whilst you won't find the hype and shopping madness of Western countries, in major cities you'll see lights, trees and Christmas decorations on the streets and in stores. Christmas Day is not even a bank holiday in China, although it is in Hong Kong and Macao.

Christmas recipe makes: 2 dozen Calories per biscuit: 125 Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 10 minutes Suitable for freezing at end of step 5.

Christmas recipe ingredients:

• flour, plain white 350 g (12 oz)
• bicarbonate of soda, 5 ml (1 tsp)
• ginger, ground 30 ml (2 tbsp)
• cinnamon, ground 15 ml (1 tbsp)
• cloves, ground 2.5 ml (0.5 tsp)
• butter, 125 g (4 oz)
• sugar, soft light brown 175 g (6 oz)
• golden syrup 60 ml (4 tbsp)
• egg, 1

icing:

• egg white, 1
• icing sugar, sifted
• food coloring

Ho Ho Ho! Whilst many of the recipes above are traditionally eaten for the Chinese New Year, they will serve just as well for a Christmas dinner.

Christmas recipe instructions:

1. Blend the butter with a mixture of the spices, bicarbonate of soda and flour. Do this until it is breadcrumb like and then mix in the sugar.
2. Beat an egg into slightly warmed syrup and pour into the mixture from step 1, mixing till it becomes a soft dough. Then knead until smooth.
3. Make a 5mm (¼ inch) thick dough layer on a floured surface and cut out biscuit shapes using vaious cutters. Pierce a hole in each one for putting ribbon through later on, for hanging.
4. Put two non-stick baking sheets on two baking trays.
5. Place the various shaped cut outs onto the baking sheets and bake at 190 degrees centigrade (375 F) until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Allow to cool and harden for about 10 m inutes before placing on a wire rack till cold.
   Ho Ho Ho! Cookie cutters - You should have a set of Christmas themed cookie cutters. Made of metal or plastic, you can find them at any grocery store or even dollar stores.
6. For the icing add sifted icing sugar to a beaten egg until stiff enough for piping. Add colorings if necessary to brighten up the decorations.
7. Put icing patterns of your choice on the biscuits. After allowing the biscuits to dry, put ribbons through the biscuit holes, ready for hanging on a christmas tree.

(c) Paul Curran, CEO of Cuzcom Internet Publishing Group and webmaster at Gifts-for-Christmas.com, bringing you recipes and unique gifts for christmas including their online home collectibles and russian gifts stores.

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