I was asked yesterday if I baked gingerbread people.  While I haven’t done so yet this year, I did make some last year.  So, here you go, Erin — the gingerbread recipe is from Joy of Cooking along with a recipe for sticky icing from Lisa H.

Cookies

Preheat oven to 350 F

Blend until creamy:
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup white or brown sugar

Beat in:
- 1/2 cup dark molasses

Sift:
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Resift with:
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp ginger
- 1/2 tsp salt

Add the sifted ingredients to the butter mixture in about 3 parts, alternately with:
- 1/4 cup water if you roll the dough or 1/3 cup if you model it.

We roll the dough on the counter.  The trick here is to make sure you get the dough thin enough, although the chewy cookies with the thicker dough is good too — more ‘bready’ than crisp.  We use cookie cutters.

Bake on a greased cookie sheet for about 8 minutes or longer, depending on thickness.  Test for doneness by pressing the dough with your finger.  If it springs back, the cookies are ready to be cooled on a rack.

Sticky Icing - good for making gingerbread houses too
- 2 cups icing sugar
- 1 1/2 egg whites, slightly beaten
- 1 tsp vinegar

Decorate, eat and enjoy!

My mother-in-law Rachelle is a great cook.  She gave us this recipe during one of her visits as it was is a favourite of Daniel’s. Seeing that it was the easiest cake in the world, I learned how to make it. You mix it in the pan you bake it in and stir it with a fork.

Every time I serve it, people ask me for the recipe.  It’s a staple now for potlucks.  And it is always the first dessert to disappear completely at our annual block party.   So, I thought it might be easier to just post it here.

Gateau au chocolat et glacage fondant

1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
3 tbsp cocoa
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup oil
1 tbsp vinegar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup cold water

Sift flour and measure. Add sugar, cocoa, salt, soda. Pour into 8 inch square baking pan. Mix the oil, vinegar, vanilla and cold water. Pour liquid ingredients over the flour mixture and stir with a fork but do not beat. Place in the oven at 350 F for 30-35 minutes.

Icing (Glacage)

2 tbsp butter
3 tbsp milk
1 egg
1 cup sugar
2 squares of unsweetened chocolate (Baker’s chocolate)

Mix all ingredients in a small pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 2 minutes stirring constantly. Let cool, then pour over the cake. Bon appetit!