RECIPE: GINGER BREAD MEN

Difficulty- Easy
Categories:
Pudding Dessert
Bake

INGREDIENTS
4 teaspoons  corn syrup
21/3 cups all-purpose flour , plus extra for dusting
1 teaspoon baking soda
11/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
7 teaspoons unsalted butter, softened and diced
3/4 cup dark  brown sugar
1 large egg
raisins to decorate
confectioner's sugar, sifted ( optional)
PREPARATION
1. Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C). Heat the syrup  until it liquefies
2. Sift the flour, baking soda, and spices into a large bowl. Add the butter.
3. Rub together with your fingerstips until the mixture looks like fine bread crumbs.
4. Add the sugar to the bread crumbs mixture and mix well
5. Beat the egg into the cooled syrup untilwell blended.
6.Make a well in the flour mixture. Pour in the syrup mix. Bring together to a rough dough.
7.On a lightly floured work surface, knead the dough briefly until smooth.
8. Flour the dough and the work surface well, then roll the dough out to 1/4 inch (5mm) thick
9. Using the cutter, cut out as many shapes as possible. Transfer to non-stick baking sheets.
10.Mix the scraps of dough, re-roll, and cut out more shapes until all the dough is used.
11.Decorate the men with raisins, giving them eyes, a nose and buttons down the front.
12. Bake  for 10-12 minutes until golden. Transfer to a wire  rack to cool completely.
13. If using, mix some confectioner's sugar in a bowl  with enough water  to form a thin icing.
14.Transfer the icing into the piping bag;  placing the bag into a glass first will help.
15. Decorate the men with the piped icing to resemble clothes, hair, or whatever you prefer.
16. Leave the icing to set completely before serving or storing.

SOURCE- Step-by-Step Baking.