Gingerbread Boxes Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180C or 160C fan forced.
• Line 2 large baking trays with non-stick baking paper.
• Using electric beaters, beat butter and sugar until light and creamy and then add golden syrup and egg yolk and beat until combined.
• Add sifted flour, ginger and bicarbonate of soda, using a knife to mix until evenly combined.
• Gather dough together and turn out onto a sheet of non-stick baking paper.
• Divide the dough into 2 even portions, wrap one portion in cling wrap and set aside.
• Roll the other portion out to a rectangle about 26cm x 18cm and trim the sides to give straight lines, but don't make it any small than 24cm x 16cm.
• Cut dough into 12 pieces (four rows of three).
• Transfer pieces to one of the prepared trays, leaving a little room between them for spreading.
• Place trays in the fridge and chill while you roll out and cut the other piece of dough as you did the first.
• Bake first tray for 10 minutes, while chilling the second tray, then bake that tray for 10 minutes.
• Leave on the trays for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Whisk egg white until frothy, then gradually add sifted icing sugar to make a stiff paste.
• Place paste into a small plastic piping bag and snip off the end and pipe this icing on the outside of joins of the square to cover any gaps and then decorate with cachous.
• Pipe a cross onto the box tops and decorate and ;leave to set.
• Fill with chosen sweets.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars until fluffy, about 1 minute. With the mixer running, add molasses, corn syrup, vanilla and orange extract.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until mixture is well combined. In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients with a whisk.
• Add flour mixture gradually to creamed mixture-the dough will be very stiff, so I used my hands to get all the flour incorporated.
• Divide the dough into thirds and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill overnight.
• Remove dough from the fridge and let stand at room temperature about 1 1/2 hours.
• Cover the outside of any ovenproof bowl, with tin foil, bringing foil over the edges to the inside. Make sure foil is on very smoothly. Spray the entire bowl with a non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
• On floured surface, roll a third of the dough into a circle 3/16-inch thick. Immediately lift dough and press on to outside of bowl, molding firmly to shape of bowl without stretching it. I use the palms of my hands to smooth any cracks.
• Trim dough around the edge of bowl with sharp knife, then using a cookie cutter, like a heart or a star, cut out stars around the lipped edge of the bowl about 1 1/2 inches apart.
• Refrigerate bowl for 1 1/2 hours; this firms up the dough.
• Place inverted bowl on an ungreased baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 20-30 minutes, or until firm to the touch.
• Allow the gingerbread to cool on bowl.
• When completely cool, carefully loosen foil and lift foil and gingerbread shell off the bowl. Peel off foil from shell.
• A tip I have learned is to use smaller bowls--much easier to remove. I broke a large one. Have fun, I did!

Steps:

• Combine egg, sugar, molasses, butter and water; mix well. In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, ginger and salt; add molasses mixture. Beat until well mixed. Pour into a greased 8-in. square baking pan. Bake at 350° until cake tests done, 20-25 minutes. Cut into squares; serve warm with whipped cream.