Mexican Gingerbread Biscuits

Earlier this week, I came across this great Norwegian website that has recipes for all kinds of cakes, biscuits, and baked treats. A recipe that caught my eye was this one here that is said to be a remedy for curing colds. Take a look at the ingredients, and you might see why!

PS. The dough needs to cool in the fridge overnight, so it's not for the impatient patients! (Oh the pun *cringe*)

Mexican Gingerbread Biscuits
(This recipe makes plenty of fiery bits of goodness)

100 g light butter
100 g honey
200 g brown sugar
100 g crème fraîche
500 g plain flour
1 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground black pepper
4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp Tabasco
3 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder

- Mix the honey, sugar and butter in a small casserole. Heat up until the sugar has dissolved, and leave to cool for a little while (I poured the mix into a baking bowl in the sink with some cold water for about 5 minutes).

- Add the crème fraîche, mix well before stirring in the flour, spices and baking powder. Knead well and set in the refrigerator to cool overnight.

- THE NEXT DAY: Set the oven to 175°C.

- Knead the dough a little to soften it, and roll out so it's about 3-4 mm thick. Cut out shapes, and put on a tray clad with baking paper. Originally the biscuits are cupposed to be shaped as stars, moons and guns, however I didn't have all three of them, only stars...So I replaced the last two with hearts, moose, foxes, snails and other little creatures! I think this makes for a jollier collection of biscuits, for sure!

- Place the tray in the middle of the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, until the biscuits start to turn golden. Leave to cool before attacking them with some icing!

Icing:
As for the icing, I did it the quickest and easiest way, mixing icing sugar with water and cocoa powder for the brown frosting, and icing sugar with lemon juice, vanilla essence and a few drops of water for the white icing.
I would recommend melting some chocolate instead though, if you have a little more time on your hands, mmm chocolate!

Original source:
http://www.kakemonsen.no/sider/vis.asp?id=1363

- Jules