X'mas Gingerbread Cookie decorated with Meringue Powder Royal Icing 聖誕姜餅曲奇

Gingerbread Cookies

(makes about 30 cookies)

Ingredients

• 3 cups unbleached flour
• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into 12 pieces and softened slightly
• 3/4 cup unsulphured molasses
• 2 tablespoons milk

Directions

1. In a food processor or blender, process together flour, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt, and baking soda until combined (about 10 seconds). (Pic 1 & 2)
2. Add the butter pieces over the flour mixture and process until the mixture is sandy and resembles a fine meal (about 15 seconds). (Pic 3)
3. While the machine is running, gradually add molasses and milk (Pic 4). Blend until the dough is evenly moistened (about 10 seconds).
4. Scrape dough onto a work surface, and divide in half. (Pic 5)
5. Roll out one portion of dough 1/4-inch thick between two large sheets of parchment paper(Pic 6). Leaving the dough between the parchment paper, place on a cookie sheet, and freeze for 15 to 20 minutes. Do the same for the second portion of dough.
6. Preheat the oven to 350F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
7. Remove one sheet of dough from the freezer and place on a work surface. Peel off the top layer of parchment paper, then gently lay it back in place.
8. Flip the dough over, peel off and discard the second layer of parchment paper.
9. Cut the dough into desired shapes, transferring those shapes to parchment lined cookie sheets. (Pic 7)
10. Repeat with remaining dough until all the cookie sheets are full.
11. Bake cookies 8 to 11 minutes, rotating the cookie sheets halfway through baking.
12. Cookies should come out so the centers of the dough barely retain a imprint when touched gently with fingertip. Be careful to not overbake.
13. Let cookies cool on their sheets for two minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature.
14. Gather scraps, repeat rolling, cutting, and baking.
15. Enjoy!

Recipe source: 12tomatoes

Royal Icing using Meringue Powder

Ingredient: (about 3 cups of icing)

3 tbsp Meringue Powder

4 cups confectioners' sugar (Icing sugar)

5 tbsp water

Directions: 

Beat all ingredients until icing forms peaks (7-10 mins at low speed with stand mixer, 10-12 mins at high speed with hand-held mixer)

NOTE:

 **Remember to keep all utensils grease-free for proper icing consistency

** For stiffer icing: use 1 tbsp less water.

**For thinner icing: add 1 tsp water per cup of royal icing. Add 1/2 tsp water at a time until you reach desired consistency.