The smell of fresh-out-of-the-oven cakes and biscuits is irresistible at Christmas
Baileys chocolate gateau
Gingerbread cuckoo clock
A festive project that doubles up as decoration that’s sure to wow.
Serves 8-10
• Prep 2-3 hrs, plus cooling and overnight setting
• Cook 12 mins
For the gingerbread:
150g unsalted butter, softened
175g dark brown soft sugar
550g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1tbsp ground ginger
100g golden syrup
75ml water For the decoration:
Cocktail sticks, one cut to 3cm
1 medium egg white
250g icing sugar
Small piping bag
Jelly Tots, or other sweets
Small decorative bird
200g marzipan
1 For the gingerbread, beat the butter and sugar until soft. Add the remaining gingerbread ingredients and combine. Wrap and chill for 30 mins.
2 Meanwhile, download and print the template fromgoodto.com/recipes/ gingerbread-cuckoo-clock, trace and cut out the shapes on baking paper.
3 Heat the oven to 180C Fan/Gas 6. On a flour-dusted worktop, roll out half the dough at a time to a thickness of 3mm.
4 Transfer to a baking tray and use the stencils to cut out the dough, doing the front, sides and roof twice. If you have round cutters, use these to stamp out the circles. Peel away the offcuts; re-roll.
5 Use a cocktail stick to poke a hole through the centre of each circle, the end of the clock hands and the front panel where the ‘x’ is. Emboss the dough with shapes, if liked, before baking for 12 mins. While warm, re-pierce the holes with a cocktail stick, then set aside to cool.
6 Meanwhile, make the icing. Using the paddle attachment on a stand mixer, beat the egg white until foamy. Sift over the icing sugar and mix in. Mix in 1tsp of water at a time to give you a thick icing. Beat for 5 mins until smooth and glossy. Transfer some to a piping bag and the remainder to a Tupperware container, cover with a damp kitchen towel and chill.
7 Lay the back panel flat with the best-looking side facing down. Position the long side of the roof panels against the outside rim of the back panel so the‐‐ tops align to make a ridge. Spread icing over the inside seams to stick them in place. We used tins of food to keep the gingerbread in place while the icing dried. Attach the long edge of each side panel to the back panel and the short side to the roof.
8 Thread the cut end of the 3cm cocktail stick into the hole of the smallest circle. Stick this in place. Poke this through the hole in the front panel, from the back to the front. Thread on the largest circle, then the remaining circle, sticking with icing. This will become the clock face.
