Wednesday 19 June 2013

Ninja bread men for kids (or Gingerbread men)

My mother is my inspiration in life in general.  Incredibly intelligent she didn’t have the breaks in life nor the education.  At the time giving a woman an education was seen as a waste of time and money.  How much we have moved on.  I was lucky enough to have all the opportunities she didn’t and she encouraged and supported me through everything in life, every bump, every triumph, every disaster and here I am with two degrees a Dr of Chemistry and she still is far my superior.


It’s funny how we learn how to love and be loved first from our parents.  My Mum shows people she loves them through food and I have inherited this from her.  This was the first ever recipe I made with my son and I remember making it with my Mum when I was little.  I also handily got some cool “Ninja” bread man cutters from an online shop which I loved and so did my son but he made some hearts for me too.

This does make a very traditional, crisp gingerbread man with a strong ginger flavour which is how I had them when I was little.  If you prefer them a little softer, take them out a little earlier or it might be an idea to substitute the flour for self raising (they will spread though).  If you like a milder flavour, cut down on the ginger a little.


(Ninja) Ginger Bread Men – Makes lots

Ingredients

60g, 2oz Butter or margarine
60g, 2oz Caster sugar (regular sugar or granulated sugar is fine, just gives a grainier texture)
1 tbsp Black treacle – sorry US readers, I don’t think there is any direct replacement but molasses is probably closest
115g, 4oz Plain (all purpose) flour
1 tbsp Ground Ginger (Powdered Ginger)
Pinch mixed spice (pumpkin pie spice)
Little milk to mix, use soy milk if liked

Method

Preheat the oven to 180oC, 350F, Gas Mark 4.  

Cream the butter and sugar, add the treacle then mix in the dry ingredients.  Add in enough milk to make to a stiff paste (you might not need it.)  Roll out thinly, using flour to dust and cut out whatever shapes you like, hearts, ninjas...



Bake for around 10 minutes, cool on a wire rack and decorate!  I've linked this to Simple Living's linky.


8 comments:

  1. Heidi, love these. Thanks for adding them to the snack table. Cheers

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    1. They appealed to my sense of humour :-)

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  2. My mom would have liked to have become a doctor but she did get to be a nurse which she told me for an immigrant's daughter she was pretty lucky. Fortunately her parents felt that part of the American dream was the ability to get an education. All 4 of her sisters got some schooling beyond high school. My mom wasn't much of a cook, but she tried hard. It was my Italian grandmother's who taught me to cook and inspired me to show love through food too. I love the story behind your cookies thanks so much for sharing them with us on foodie friday.

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    1. No problem. My Mum is a special lady who has achieved so much. She went back and got her schooling later.

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  3. These are so cute!
    My mom went back to school in her early forties, and is now a school teacher. I love that she continued her education after raising 6 kids, and found something she has always been good at to do. It gives me hope that I'll make it back to school one of these days as well.

    Thanks for sharing on Foodie Friday

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  4. They must be the coolest gingerbread men around!!

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  5. We have a birthday party coming up. Ninjabread biscuits as party food is a fabulous idea. They're brilliant!

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