Ginger Bread Men

OK so this recipe post is late I admit, but gingerbread does not have to be limited to the holidays, especially when it is such a healthy alternative!  Full credit for this recipe goes to Marita Dreger, author of "Alternative Baking".  Unfortunately this cookbook is no longer in print, however I was lucky enough to receive one from my sister for my birthday a couple of years ago.  She actually emailed Marita and had her send me one of the copies she had in her home.  I am very lucky. Here I will share with you the recipe from her cookbook, using rice flour.

Gingersnaps:  Egg-Free

1 cup brown rice flour

2 tbsp canola oil

1/4 tsp salt

1 pinch each ground cardamom, cloves, mace, star anise

1/8 tsp each ground allspice, ginger, nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1 1/4 tsp baking powder*

1 tbsp water

1/3 cup rice syrup

In a small bowl, sift flour; pour oil over it.  With Fork, mix ingredients, then rub oil into flour until evenly sandy mixture forms.  Add salt, spices, baking powder, mix thoroughly.

Place sauce pan on stove, and turn heat to medium,  To saucepan, add water, oil and rice syrup.  Mix thoroughly with a fork.  Bring to a boil; immediately remove from heat and pour over dry ingredients, scraping our remainder with spatula.  Immediately stir ingredients briskly with fork until combined and smooth.  Using spatula, form dough into ball; let rest for 4 minutes.

Cut 18x13 inch piece of parchment paper, fold to 9x13, unfold.

With hands, remove dough - it should be soft, thick, not sticky; if sticky, sprinkle on 1/2 to 2 tbsp flour ad mix in; lightly work into smooth, glossy ball.  Place in middle of one half of paper, fold the other half over.  With rolling pin, flatten dough slightly, then roll it between paper to 8 x 12 x 1/8 inch.  Slider paper with dough into baking pan, freeze for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile preheat oven to 325C

Remove pan from freezer, slide dough out of pan.  Peel off then tear off, top paper; use to line bottom of pan.  Quickly cut each cookie and place on paper in rows, 1/4 inch apart.  If dough softens, refreeze for 10 minutes.

Bake at 325F for 8 minutes or until edges darken.  Immediately remove with turning spatula; cool.  Store airtight.  Set aside for several hours to develop flavours.  Keeps 1 week.

*Purest Baking Powder

Icing

The icing is courtesy of Shirley Plant and her cookbook "Finally Food I Can Eat"

For the dark icing we used her Carob Tahini Icing

1/4 cup tahini

1/8 cup nut, soy or rice milk

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 tbsp carob powder

Blend all ingredients in a bowl and chill in fridge for at least 2 hours.  Note; if your tahini is soft, you may not need any liquid.  We did not use any liquid for our icing as we wanted it thick.  For the light icing we used arrowroot powder in the place of carob powder.

*Purest Baking Powder