Lighter Gingerbread Recipes

GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, sugar and applesauce until smooth.
• Add the egg and molasses, mix well.
• In another large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and spices.
• Add to sugar and molasses mixture, stirring well.
• Divide the dough into two flat balls; cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Generously dust the surface of your working area with flour before rolling out the dough.
• Work with one ball of dough at a time, keep the other refrigerated while you do so.
• Roll the dough out to 1/4 or 1/8-inch thickness, sprinkle a little flour on top of the dough if it's a little sticky.
• Cut the gingerbread with a cookie cutter shape of your choice.
• Place cookies 1 or 2 inches apart on a silpat-lined baking sheet.
• Bake 10-12 minutes.
• Mix the egg whites with lemon juice.
• Combine with powdered sugar, mixing well. If the icing is too thin, add more powdered sugar, if it's too thick add a drop of lemon juice.
• Add to a piping bag to decorate cookies when cookies are cooled.

OLD-FASHIONED GINGERBREAD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch square cake pan with cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper. Spray the parchment with cooking spray as well, and then set aside.
• In a small saucepan, combine the butter and milk. Heat over medium-high, just until the butter is melted and bubbles form around the edges of the pan. Whisk in the brown sugar until dissolved. Remove from the heat and cool.
• In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and salt.
• Stir the egg into the cooled butter mixture.
• Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the butter mixture. Stir just until a smooth batter forms, being careful not to over-mix.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and serving.
• Dust cooled cake with powdered sugar and serve with whipped cream, if desired.

LIGHTER GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• Put the dates in a small bowl and pour over 125ml of boiling water. Leave to cool for 30 mins. Lightly oil a 28 x 19 x 3cm traybake tin, then line the base with baking parchment.
• Meanwhile, put the oil, black treacle, maple syrup and freshly grated ginger in a bowl and beat together with a fork to mix well. Set aside. Beat the egg in a small bowl and stir in the buttermilk. In a large bowl, mix the flour with the bicarbonate of soda, ground ginger, cinnamon and sugar - rub the mixture between your fingers to break down any lumpy bits of sugar. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3.
• Blend the dates and their liquid to a thick purée in a small food processor. Pour the egg, the dates and the treacle mixture into the bowl with the flour. Stir together briefly with a wooden spoon just until well mixed - the mixture will be soft like a thick batter. Pour it into the lined tin, gently level the mixture and bake for 40-45 mins. To test if it's done, insert a skewer in the centre - if the skewer comes out clean with no uncooked mixture on it, and the cake feels firm but springy to the touch, it should be done.
• Leave in the tin for a few mins before removing to a wire rack, peeling off the parchment and leaving to cool completely. If you can wait, wrap it well in parchment, then foil. Leave for a day before cutting, as it will become stickier - it will keep moist for 3-4 days.

FAVORITE OLD FASHIONED GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9-inch square pan.
• In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the egg, and mix in the molasses.
• In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Blend into the creamed mixture. Stir in the hot water. Pour into the prepared pan.
• Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan before serving.