Oh my, she's been at it again. Yes indeedy, it's that time of the year once again: festive gingerbread time. This is my standard giveaway to my friends and family at Christmas time, and it never goes unloved. Each year I endeavour to add another cutter to my collection: this year, the snowflake is the latest cutter on the block (the stocking made "the cut" last year). Sometimes I pause to wonder if I have created a Christmas tradition which will eventually become a rod for my own back, but for now, I'm still managing to cut and ice with enthusiasm.So, what does one need for a little festive cutting? Firstly, we need themed cutters. My original cutters come from a Fox Run Christmas box set, however you can(for pretty much the same price) put together a collection of your own: a reindeer, a bell, a Christmas tree, perhaps an angel (although, frankly, I eschew the angel as she's too difficult to decorate in a proper and identifiable style!). There is also a Fox Run set of Interchangeable Cutters, which would be quite convenient. I do like to include a candy cane, as the decoration of same is always spectacular in presentation, and a star is a simple inclusion.
I like to roll out the dough with a very simple rolling pin. The ones with the ball bearings in the ends throw me off balance when I roll, so just a basic one will do for me!
Next, you will need some really good baking sheets, and for any kind of biscuit baking, I recommend you go as rimless as possible. I always line my sheets, but that is a personal preference (although, it does make it a bit easier to queue the biscuits up, as you can keep filling sheets of paper and just loading them onto the baking sheets as needed. Buy the caterers' roll of baking paper!). The Masterclass sheets are fab. Once you have baked up, you will need to cool them all down. As I'm currently doing 72 biscuits to a batch, I need the largest cooling rack available, but there are many others from which to choose that might be more appropriate for your needs (presuming you are not in the grips of Christmas baking madness, as I am).
Finally, the decoration. I use a selection of tips (as previously blogged), and I have to hand a selection of semi-disposable piping bags (with all those colours going on, it's just too much work to be icing and changing!). I also use the Wilton colours, as they are intense, pure in colour, and just a teeny bit will give you vibrant result.
So, all that remains is to package them up. Of course, you could carefully arrange them in Maxwell & Williams jars (as previously discussed), but my baking memories are of my grandmother with the same tins all the time, used repeatedly for whatever she'd been cooking up for our visit. With that in mind, how about a festive tin, which can be reused all year 'round (please call the shop for details)? Of course, complete indulgence is possible with the Jim Shore Santa or Snowman Biscuit Jar. You'll need quite a few biscuits to fill one of these: save this idea for someone you really like!
However, the most essential item for baking is a Kitchenaid KSM150 Stand Mixer. My life would be empty, desolate and just plain hard without the kitchen-y company and dedicated work ethic of my Kitchenaid mixer. There is a colour for everyone (the online shop does not reflect all the colours available!), so there can be no possible excuse of it not matching the decor, or being too ugly to keep on the bench. If you don't have one already, put this at the top of your list. If you do, ask for one of the many attachments. You'll know if you've been really good: Santa will bring you a KSM150. Mrs Claus has a red one...of course.
PS For those of my friends, wondering why they didn't get any gingerbread in the mail this year, blame the Australia Post instigators. I could hardly risk the delicate creations with people so completely unfestive that they'd let a Christmas card arrive at New Year...
