Gingerbread Biscuits & Gluehwein (Mulled Wine)

Dear Santa,

Soon you will be making your way around the world delivering thousands and thousands of gifts to all the good boys and girls of the world. I do hope you visit my home on your deliveries... I have really tried to be good this year, I really have!

I'm sure you must get awfully hungry visiting so many houses in one night! Just to let you know, I'll be leaving you out a little snack for when you stop by. I know you get a lot of milk and cookies, but I thought you could probably do with something a little stronger by the time you reach Australia.

I hope you like gingerbread and mulled wine :)

Love,

Ladybird xoxo

PS - here is my Christmas tree :)

Gluehwein (Mulled Wine)
Adapted recipe from The Cook and The Chef, ABC Television

Ingredients
1L red wine (I used a clean skin merlot)
120ml orange juice
60g raw sugar
1/2 cinnamon stick
6 cloves
1 bay leaf
peelings of half a lemon

Method
1. Bring the sugar, spices and orange juice to a boil. Then let this mixture steep for 30 minutes.
2. Finally, pour in the wine and carefully reheat to just under the boiling point.
3. Strain if desired and serve.

Bourke Street Bakery Gingerbread Biscuits
Recipe from Bourke Street Bakery: The Ultimate Baking Companion (can be halved for a smaller quantity)

Ingredients
1.125kg plain flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 1/2 tbsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground nutmeg
400g unsalted butter
400g soft brown sugar
320g golden syrup (or honey)
1 egg
4 egg yolks

For the royal icing
1 egg white
250g icing (confectioner's) sugar
1/2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Method

1. Put the butter, sugar and golden syrup in a large bowl and mix on medium speed until pale and creamy. Add the egg and egg yolks in a slow stream and mix until well combined. Add the dry ingredients, in three batches, until thoroughly mixed through.

2. Divide the dough into four even-sized portions and flatten each disc. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes, or for up to 3 days.

3. Preheat oven to 170 degrees celcius. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow the dough to soften slightly. Roll out each disc between two sheets of baking paper until about 3mm thick. Cut into the desired shaped using biscuit cutters or a knife. Re-roll to make use of all the dough.

4. Place the biscuits on baking trays lined with baking paper and bake, in batches, for 15-20 minutes until slightly puffed and golden. Allow to cool on the trays. (Tip - to ensure your cookies hold their shape well while baking you can refrigerate them for 30 minutes prior to baking).

5. Meanwhile, make the royal icing. Sift the icing sugar through a fine sieve. place the egg white in a bowl and add 1 tbsp of the icing sugar. Using a wooden spoon, beat to form a smooth paste, then keep adding the sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the lemon juice - you should be able to squeeze the mixture through a piping bag. Transfer to a piping bag and decorate the biscuits as desired. Once decorated and dry, they can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

I hope you are all well and truly enjoying the festive season and time with your loved ones over good food and drink!

Stay tuned for more Christmas posts!

Ladybird x