Winter Wonderland

We had an online challenge running over the winter break with a holiday theme. Jodie won Star Baker for this challenge with her gingerbread cookies!

Jodie's Gingerbread Cookies

Ingredients:

350g plain flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

100g butter

175g light muscovado sugar

4 tbsp golden syrup

1 large egg, beaten

For the royal icing:

1 large egg white

250g sifted icing sugar

about 2 tsp lemon juice

Method:

Preheat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/375F/gas 5. Lightly grease or line 3 baking trays.

Measure the flour, bicarbonate of soda, ginger and cinnamon into a bowl. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, then stir in the sugar. Add the golden syrup and beaten egg and mix to form a smooth dough, kneading lightly with your hands towards the end.

Divide the dough in half and roll out one half on to a lightly floured work surface to a thickness of about 5mm (1/4 inch). Using cookie cutters, cut out shapes and place them on to the prepared baking trays. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 10-12 mins until they become a slightly darker colour. Remove fro9m the oven and cool slightly on the trays, then lift onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

For the royal icing, put the egg white into a bowl and whisk lightly until frothy. Beat in about 1/4 of the icing sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Repeat 3 more times with the rest of the sugar, scraping down the bowl in between to make sure all the icing sugar is incorporated. Add in some lemon juice or water if needed to loosen up the consistency to be able to pipe it. Use quickly or cover with a damp towel or cling film to prevent it from setting.

Ice the cookies with the royal icing however you like, leave to set, and enjoy.

Katie’s Chocolate Orange Cheesecake

Ingredients:

For the base:

100g butter, melted

200g digestive biscuits

For the cheesecake mixture:

2 whole Terry’s chocolate orange

500ml double cream, whipped

560g cream cheese

100g icing sugar

Juice of half a lemon

2tsp orange extract (optional)

For decoration:

100g white chocolate

100ml double cream, whipped

12 Terry’s chocolate orange pieces (about 1 whole chocolate orange)

Orange gel food colouring

Method:

Crush the biscuits until they look like lumpy sand. (Can be done in a food processor). Mix with the melted butter and press into a 7in round deep tin.

Gently melt the 2 Terry’s chocolate oranges in a glass bowl over a pan of boiling water. Stir until smooth and then put to one side and allow to cool for 5 mins.

Combine the whipped double cream, cream cheese, icing sugar, lemon juice, and orange essence (if using). Fold gently until fully combined. Add the cooled melted chocolate oranges and stir thoroughly.

Smooth on top of the biscuit base and flatten the top with the back of a spoon or a palette knife is you have one.

Put into the freezer for 2 hours, fridge for 4 hours, or leave overnight if you are not in a rush.

Bring out of the fridge/freezer and remove from tin.

Melt the white chocolate in a glass bowl over a pan of boiling water, colour the white chocolate with a tiny amount of gel colouring and allow to cool very slightly before drizzling over the cake in zigzags.

Pipe remaining whipped cream and decorate with chocolate orange segments.

Enjoy!

Peggy's Christmas Tree Matcha Cookies

Fang's Lemon Bundt Cake

Julia's White Chocolate and Lemon Cheesecake

Frances' Irish Cream Toffee Lamingtons