Ginger Biscuits

Made by: Simeon

Recipe: Adapted from Jamie Oliver's "Jamie" magazine, December 2013, pg 54.

Allergens: Milk (in the butter)

Makes: 22 - 24 biscuits

Takes: About 30 mins from start to first batch out the oven.

Smells like: Christmas

Ingredients:

• 300 grams gluten-free cake flour
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp mixed spice (or just nutmeg, if you prefer)
• 125 grams butter
• 100 grams sugar
• 1 Dsp honey

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
2. Line two baking sheets with baking paper and dust them with a little extra flour.
3. Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl.
4. Melt the butter, sugar and honey together over low heat.
5. Stir the butter mixture into the dry ingredients.
6. Use a tablespoon to measure out balls of the mixture, which you then press flat(ish) on your palms.
7. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes, or until a little golden brown at the edges.

P.S. These taste like Christmas too.
 

Have you seen the Gingerbread Man?

A few months ago, I came across an interesting hobby which harkens back to earlier years, where pen pals found through the Garfield monthly magazine were the norm (as was waiting weeks for a reply to any correspondence).

The fun of collecting stationery, and receiving interesting letters/postcards from around the world has surprised me. And I find it funny how hand written correspondence has become an oddity in today's world of instant messaging.

Every now and then, you come across a particularly fun project.

Take for instance this class postcard project:

Mrs Schindler's Kindergarten Class have a Gingerbread Man in their classroom. They will read stories about him, until one day he will disappear and they will discover he has run away (like in the story). The class will make a plan to get him back and try to solve the mystery of where he went.

They need people to send postcards from around the world to report sightings of their missing friend. They will map each postcard and track his journey.

If you'd like to join in the fun of Jinjee spotting, send a postcard to the address below keeping the following points in mind:

• Begin each postcard with "Dear Madison".
• Say that you were doing something ordinary when you spotted the Gingerbread Man.
• Report that you tried to stop him, but he turned and shouted "Run, run, as fast as you can. you can't catch me I'm the Gingerbread Man!"
• Mail them to:

        Mrs. Schindler's Kindergarten Class

      Nottingham Country Elementary

      20500 Kingsland Blvd

      Katy, TX 77450
      USA

Here's the one I'm sending. Don't you just love the stamps? I bought them at the Brooklyn Post Office. They ask interesting questions regarding facts (most are about South African history), and then the person who receives the postcard gets to scratch the gold ink off to see the answer (like a lotto card). How clever!

Speaking of Gingerbread Men, here's a link to a gluten-free, corn-free, egg-free gingerbread recipe:

GF Jinjee Biscuits

P.S. If you're interested in doing some writing, Postcrossing is a fun place to start, as you are guaranteed to get replies from all over the world (and writing postcards is quick and fun, as is shopping for them [or even designing your own on zazzle.com]).

On the fly choc chip cookie recipe (gf style)

I made up this recipe yesterday from a few leftovers I had in the kitchen cupboard, and a giant bar of Cadbury's milk chocolate which was supposed to be a stand-by Christmas present for any unexpected extended family members on the day but didn't survive my sudden chocolate craving. :-)

I'm stoked that they turned out yum, since I haven't baked biscuits from scratch since my chef-fy years!

Ingredients:

• 100g unsalted butter;
• 250ml flour (I used 100ml rice flour + 100ml potato flour + 50ml soya flour);
• 200g Cadbury's milk chocolate (which I threw in the food processor to make choccie chips); and
• 3 Tbsp. water.
  

Method:

1. Put the processed choc chips (more like choc chunks) in a bowl.
2. Process the butter, flour and water in a food processor (I have one of those mini ones which come as an attachment to some brands of stick blenders).
3. Mix all ingredients together using a spoon.
4. Line a baking tray with baking paper (or just grease it well).
5. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 12 - 15 mins.
6. Makes 18 biccies.
   

Photos:

The dough turns into...

...biscuits fresh from the oven...

...to be enjoyed with authentic Ceylon tea
(a lovely gift from two Sri Lankan sisters I tutored for English).