Co-owners Belinda and Carol Bigold,
High Tea Bakery
If pasteurized egg whites are unavailable use 1 Tbsp meringue powder mixed with 2 Tbsp water and omit cream of tartar to make the icing.
Ingredients
Gingerbread
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp ginger
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
1 cup softened butter
4 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
Royal Icing
2 Tbsp pasteurized egg whites
1 1/4 cups icing sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
Method
Cookies
1. Preheat oven to 375˚F.
2. Place butter in a large bowl.
3. In a small pot bring to boil sugar, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, water and corn syrup. Remove from heat.
4. Pour over butter, and stir until butter melts. Cool to lukewarm.
5. Stir in dry ingredients, mix well.
6. Cover and chill.
7. When ready to use, let the dough return to room temperature and divide into quarters.
8. On a lightly floured board, roll out to 1/8-inch thick. Cut with your favourite cookie cutters and transfer to
cookie trays. Bake 12-15 minutes. Cool completely before icing.
Icing
1. Mix all ingredients in a small mixing bowl at low speed.
2. Colour, if desired, with food colouring and put in pastry bag for decorating.
3. For covering the cookies, use a #3 tip, and let each colour icing dry before piping on a new one.
Yield 25-30 cookies