Gingerbread Porn

Apparently I'm to go to jail for this activity, but one of the treats you're likely to find around here this time of year are my -ahem- special gingerbread people. The recipe is most tasty, but it's the creativity with nonpareils and attention to detail in the decorating process that keeps people squealing with perverse delight and begging for more.

Doc's Anatomically Correct Gingerbread People

Cream in mixer:
1 cup butter (room temp)
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs (room temp)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Sift dry ingredients twice and slowly add to creamed mixture but stop mixing as soon as incorporated into the wet stuff so you don't overwork the dough & make it tough:
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground mace
5 cups cake flour (do not substitute!)

Divide into 3 or 4 portions & refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Working with a little bit at a time, roll out the dough with a lightly floured rolling pin onto a lightly floured surface - it's easier with a silicone rolling pin.

Cut out desired shapes & lay out gently on nonstick foil or a silicone baking mat.

Press nonpareils or raisins into the dough. Have fun.

(The more you work the dough the tougher it becomes so be careful!)

Bake in a 375 degree oven until lightly browned around the edges.

If you're using frosting, put it on after the cookies have cooled.


As an added bonus since today is my one year "blogaversary," and I don't know if I want to post 365 random things about me since I do that almost daily, here's a wonderful tweak on the gingerporn recipe.

Doc's Gingerdoodles

If you don't have the time - or patience - to fuck around with all those little nonpareils, try the same recipe with only 4 cups of cake flour instead of 5, again taking great care not to overwork the dough. Bake at 350 degrees instead of 375. Just roll the dough into little balls and roll the top half in some sparkling sugar (like you do with Snickerdoodles, hence the name) and bake until just golden around the edges. These come out more cake-like and are just delicious - especially with a nice mulled wine or warm brandy. Yummmmm.