Ready for a showstopper table topper, this Christmas we used the Avanti Star tree cutters and made this amazing treat! You can find them here.

Gingerbread is a type of sweet and spicy baked treat that is traditionally associated with the winter holidays, particularly Christmas. It is typically made from a combination of flour, sugar, butter, molasses or golden syrup, spices such as ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, and sometimes eggs.

Gingerbread can take various forms, including gingerbread cookies, gingerbread houses, and gingerbread cake or loaf. The dough is rolled out and cut into shapes, which are then baked until firm. Gingerbread cookies are often decorated with icing or candies to add color and additional sweetness.

Gingerbread has a long history that can be traced back to ancient times. It was originally made with breadcrumbs, honey, and spices, and it was brought to Europe by crusaders returning from the Middle East. Over time, the recipe evolved, and ginger became a prominent ingredient.

In many cultures, gingerbread is associated with special occasions, particularly during the winter holidays. Gingerbread houses, in particular, have become a popular holiday tradition in many countries, where people decorate and assemble elaborate structures using gingerbread dough, icing, and candies.

Overall, gingerbread is a beloved treat that is enjoyed by people of all ages, and it continues to be a festive and delicious part of holiday celebrations around the world.

A gingerbread Christmas tree is a festive and edible decoration made entirely out of gingerbread. It is a creative and delicious way to incorporate the flavors and traditions of gingerbread into the holiday season.

To make a gingerbread Christmas tree, you will need gingerbread dough, a Christmas tree-shaped cookie cutter or template, and various decorations such as icing, candies, and sprinkles. Here’s a general outline of the process:

To make a gingerbread Christmas tree, you would typically start by preparing gingerbread dough. The dough is rolled out and cut into various sizes of tree-shaped cookies, ranging from large at the bottom to small at the top, resembling the shape of a Christmas tree.

Once the cookies are baked and cooled, they can be assembled into a tree shape using royal icing or melted sugar as glue. The larger cookies form the base of the tree, and each subsequent layer is placed on top, getting smaller as you go up. This creates the tiered structure of a Christmas tree.

After assembling the gingerbread tree, you can decorate it using icing, candies, sprinkles, or any other edible decorations of your choice. Common decorations include colorful icing, gumdrops, chocolate chips, edible pearls, and mini candy canes.

The end result is a beautiful and delicious centerpiece that can be displayed as a festive decoration during the holiday season. It can be enjoyed as a treat or simply admired for its decorative appeal. Gingerbread Christmas trees are often made as a fun activity for families to enjoy together during the holiday season, and they make for a delightful addition to any Christmas celebration.

Gingerbread Biscuits

Recipe by Jeff Simonetta

0.0 from 0 votes

Difficulty: Easy

Servings

Adjust servings

+

–

12

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

35

minutes

Total time

1

hour 

5

minutes

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

Metric US

• 120 g 4 1/4 oz unsalted butter

• 1 1/2 Cups 1 1/2 Cups firmly packed brown sugar

• 1 Large 1 Large egg yolk

• 2 1/2 Tablespoons 2 1/2 Tablespoons golden syrup

• 2 1/2 Cups 2 1/2 Cups plain flour

• 1 tsp 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

• 4 tsp 4 tsp ground ginger

• Royal icing

• 2 2 eggwhites, lightly beaten

• 3 cups 3 cup pure icing sugar

Directions

• Combine the flour, ginger, brown sugar and butter in a food processor.
• Process until mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
• Add the golden syrup and egg yolk, then process until dough just comes together.
• Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Knead gently until smooth.
• Cut dough in half and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until well chilled.
• Preheat oven to 180°C/356F.
• Roll dough, 1 portion at a time, between 2 sheets baking paper until 5mm thick.
• Remove top layer baking paper.
• Using your chosen cutters, cut the gingerbread into shapes. Place gingerbread in a single layer on lined baking trays.
• Place gingerbread on trays. Bake, 2 trays at a time, for 15 minutes or until firm. Cool on trays.
• Make royal icing:
• Using an electric mixer, beat eggwhites until soft peaks form. Gradually add icing sugar, beating constantly until thick.
• Spoon the icing into a snap-lock bag. Trim 1 corner of bag and pipe icing to decorate as desired. Allow to dry. Spoon remaining icing into snap-lock bag.
• If decorating with lollies, pipe a little icing on the back of each lolly and attach to decorate. Dust with icing sugar.

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