These ginger biscuits provide the perfect opportunity for honing your icing skills. Use the templates included at the end of the recipe to guide you.
- Ingredients
- Method
Method
Step 1
Beat the butter, sugar and molasses in a bowl until fluffy. Little by little, add the egg, beating well between each addition. (You can do this in a stand mixer fitted with the beater attachment, if you like.)
Step 2
Sift together all the remaining ingredients into a bowl. Stir them into the butter mixture.
Step 3
Place the dough on 1 sheet of baking paper. Place the other sheet on top and press the dough to make a flat layer. Chill for 1 hour, until firm.
Step 4
Heat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/375°F/Gas 5.
Step 5
On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough to 5mm thick. Use the cutters to make 6 square and 6 oval biscuits, re-rolling the trimmings as necessary. Place the biscuits on the baking sheets. Chill until firm.
Step 6
Bake in the middle of the oven for 8–12 minutes, or until the edges of the biscuits are lightly browned. Cool for 1 minute, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 7
For the royal icing, mix the egg white with 3 tablespoons of the icing sugar in a large bowl and add the lemon juice.
Step 8
Gradually, add the remaining icing sugar and mix thoroughly until the icing holds its shape. Do not over-beat or bubbles will form.
Step 9
Divide the icing into 3 separate bowls. Leave 2 bowls white and divide the third bowl of icing between 4 small bowls for decorating the biscuits. Colour 1 portion blue, 1 yellow, 1 green and 1 red.
Step 10
Drop by drop, add water to the small portions of icing and mix to a piping consistency. Spoon these into the 4 small piping bags fitted with number 1 writing nozzles.
Step 11
Drop by drop add water to one of the bowls of white icing and mix to a piping consistency. Spoon into the medium piping bag fitted with a No. 1 writing nozzle.
Step 12
Add water drop by drop to the remaining bowl of white icing and mix to a flooding consistency. Spoon into the medium piping bag fitted with a No. 3 writing nozzle.
Step 13
Decorate the biscuits according to the templates provided, loosening or thickening the icings with water or icing sugar to the correct consistency.