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1
Sift flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon and cloves into medium bowl.
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2
Using electric mixer, beat shortening and butter in large bowl into light.
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3
Add sugar and beat until fluffy.
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4
Beat in molasses, then egg.
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5
Add dry ingredients.
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6
Using spoon, stir until mixture forms dough (dough will be very soft).
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7
Divide dough into thirds.
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8
Gather each third into ball; flatten into disks.
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9
Wrap each disk in plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 4 hours.
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10
(Can be prepared 2 days ahead.
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Keep refrigerated.)
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12
Sift flour, baking powder and salt into medium bowl.
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13
Using electric mixer, beat butter, lemon peel and tangerine peel in large bowl until light.
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14
Add 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup powdered sugar and beat until fluffy.
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15
Beat in egg.
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16
Add dry ingredients.
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17
Using spoon, stir until mixture forms dough (dough will be soft).
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18
Divide dough into thirds.
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19
Gather each third into ball; flatten into disks.
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20
Wrap each disk in plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 4 hours.
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21
(Can be prepared 2 days ahead.
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22
Keep refrigerated.
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23
Let soften slightly, if necessary, before rolling out.)
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24
If you're making both kinds of cookies, work with one type of dough at a time.
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25
Preheat the oven to 350F.
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26
Generously flour work surface and rolling pin.
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27
Place 1 dough disk on work surface (keep remaining 2 dough disks refrigerated).
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28
Press rolling pin into dough several times to flatten slightly for easier rolling.
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29
Roll out dough to 1/8- to 1/4-inch thickness, frequently lifting and turning dough to prevent sticking.
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30
Using assorted cookie cutters dipped into flour, cut out cookies.
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31
Transfer cookies to ungreased nonstick baking sheets, spacing 1/2 inch apart.
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32
Gather dough scraps together and reserve.
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33
Bake until cookies turn brown on edges, about 15 minutes.
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34
Let cookies stand on sheets 1 minute.
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35
Using metal spatula, transfer cookies to racks and cool completely.
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36
Repeat rolling, cutting and baking with remaining 2 dough disks as described above, being sure to cool cookie sheets before making each batch.
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37
Combine all reserved dough scraps and shape into ball; flatten into disk.
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38
Wrap disk in plastic and freeze until firm enough to roll, about 30 minutes.
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39
Repeat rolling, cutting and baking as described above.
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40
Store cooled cookies in airtight container at room temperature until ready to decorate.
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41
This recipe makes about three cups of icing, enough to decorate all the gingerbread and sugar cookies in the preceding recipes.
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42
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
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1/4 cup milk
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6 to 8 cups powdered sugar
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45
Assorted food colorings (such as blue, red, yellow and green)
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Combine lemon juice and milk in large bowl.
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47
Whisk in 5 cups powdered sugar.
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48
Gradually whisk in enough remaining sugar by 1/2 cupfuls to form icing stiff enough to pipe (mixture will resemble stirred sour cream).
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49
Transfer 2/3 cup icing to small bowl to use as white icing; set aside.
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50
Divide remaining icing equally among 2 or more small bowls; mix food coloring by drops into each bowl, tinting icing to desired shade.
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51
If necessary, stir more sugar into icing to thicken.
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52
The techniques listed below are all easy and give beautiful results.
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53
You can even combine techniques: for example, cookies can be glazed first and then piped or drizzled with icing or sprinkled with colored sugar or coconut #&151; or all of the above.
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54
Milk
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55
Pastry Brushes
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Assorted decorations (such as colored sugar, sweetened shredded coconut, toasted sliced almonds, chocolate and rainbow sprinkles, multicolored nonpareils, button candies, mini semisweet baking bits and dried currants)
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57
Standard pastry bags and 1/16-inch plain tips or disposable plastic pastry bags
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58
Spoon a small amount of white or colored icing into a small bowl.
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59
Mix in enough milk by 1/4 teaspoons to thin icing to spreading consistency
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60
Using pastry brush, brush glaze over cooled baked cookies.
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61
Continue decorating glazed cookies, if desired, using the following techniques.
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62
Before glaze dries, sprinkle cookie with assorted decorations.
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63
To pipe using standard pastry bags: Fit each pastry bag with 1/16-inch plain tip.
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64
Stand each bag in short cup.
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Fold back top of bag to expose interior.
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66
Spoon 1 color of icing into each bag.
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Lift bag from cup; twist top of bag at level of icing to close securely.
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68
Stand each plastic bag in a short cup.
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69
Spoon 1 color of icing into each bag.
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70
Lift bag from cup; twist top of bag at level of icing to close securely.
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71
Cut off very bottom of tip to allow small ribbon of icing to come out.
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Pipe icing decoratively onto plain or glazed cookies.
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Before piped icing sets, sprinkle with colored sugar, coconut or other decorations, if desired.
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74
Line baking sheet with foil.
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Place plain or glazed cookies on foil, spacing apart.
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Mix milk into white or colored icing by 1/2 teaspoonfuls until icing is thin enough to drizzle.
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77
Dip spoon into icing and drizzle over cookies in zigzag or slanted lines.
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78
Before icing lines set, sprinkle with colored sugar, sweetened shredded coconut or other decorations, if desired.
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79
Use wet icing as glue to stick on nuts, dried currants or other decorations 1 at a time.
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80
For example, dip tip of toasted sliced almonds into icing.
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81
Attach iced section of almond to plain or glazed cookie.
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Repeat to form 1 row of nuts or to cover cookie completely.
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83
Let decorated cookies stand until icing sets, about 2 hours.
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84
(Can be prepared up to 2 weeks ahead.
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85
Store cookies in single layers between sheets of waxed paper in airtight containers.)
