Return of the ginger-kids … and our 1967 Christmas bread - recipes

Sunset, Dec, 1989

Return of the Ginger-Kids . . . and our 1967 Christmas bread Family traditions abound during the holidays. Over the years, favorite Sunset recipes have become part of Christmas celebrations in many Western homes; some of them grace the table, some of them fill gift baskets, and some of them hang from the tree.

It is, or course, almost inevitable that as those recipes become family custom, they are altered and adapted. Here, we share the traditions and updated recipes of two families. One makes jaunty personalized cookies for tree-trimming and gift-giving. The other builds a rich, tree-shaped yeast bread to share on Christmas morning.

Nearly a quarter-century of cookis

It was 24 years ago that Peggy and Tim Newman of Salt Lake City first made the gingerbread boys from our December 1965 issue. The seasonal ritual became a family affair, with Mrs. Newman mixing the dough, the four children shaping the cookies, and Mr. Newman drawing faces and details with frosting.

Over the years, the Newmans' cutter, made from a strip of aluminum, evolved into a taller, slimmer model than the original Sunset pattern. (We've included the new shape on the next page.) The cookies began portraying the family's diverse activities--from Boy Scouts to ballet. And Mrs. Newman changed the recipe to make a lighter-colored cooky that showed up better on the tree than the original dark, spicy version (both versions are included here).

Three generations of Christmas bread

Bread shaped like a glittering Christmas tree brightened ourpages in December 1967. "I've made it for our holiday breakfast ever since," says Florence Chisholm of Spokane. Now, her children and grandchildren are asking for the recipe.

That 1967 recipe called for a prepackaged mix; here, we've altered ingreditns to eliminate the mix and we've made the steps simpler--but with the same spectacular results.

These cookies can hang on a tree for ups to several days, in a dry place for several weeks. (Trees give off moisture, which may soften and weaken cookies.) Or give them as gifts; covered with plastic wrap, they last about a week. Steps for making the cutter are shown above, and given at the end of the recipe.

Gingerbread People 1989

1/2 cup (1/4 lb.) butter or margarine 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon each salt, ground allspice, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and ground ginger 1-1/3 cups light molasses 2/3 cup apple juice or water

About 8 cups all-purpose flour

Purchased ornamental frosting, in tubes

In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat together butter, sugar, soda, salt, and spices until creamy. Add molasses and juice; mix until blended. Stir in enough flour (about 7-1/2 cups) to make a stiff dough. Cover tightly; chill at least 2 hours, or up to 4 days.

Roll out part of the dough at a time on a floured board to a thickness of 3/16 inch (keep remaining dough covered). Cut out cookies (step 4, above); with cutter still in place, use a wide spatula to transfer each cooky and cutter to a lightly greased 12-by 15-inch baking sheet. Lift off the cutter. Place 1 cooky (or 2, widely spaced) on a sheet.

Adjust arms and legs to customize the figures. Use a sharp knife, scissors, or mat cutter to cut details--a hat or helmet, a skirt or scarf--from scraps of dough rolled to about 1/8 inch thick. For shirts or pants, use the appropriate part of the cutter as a pattern. For hair, press bits of dough through a garlic press. For even browning, the cooky--with all details in place--should be no thicker than 3/8 inch at any point.

Attach details, as shown in step 5. To make a hole for hanging, use a drinking straw to pierce a hole about 3/8 inch below the top of each cooky.

Bake in a 350[degrees' oven until firm and lightly browned on edges, 16 to 20 minutes. LEt cool on baking sheet about 10 minutes, then transfer with a wide spatula to racks to cool completely. Decorate with frosting (step 6); let dry.

Store cookies in a single layer on trays or heavy cardboard covered with plastic wrap. Keep at room temperature for ups to 1 week, or freeze up to 3 months. Makes about 16 cookies (3-1/2 to 4 oz. each).

To hand the cookies, thread a piece of ribbon or yarn through the hole in each and tie to form a loop.

Per cooky: 376 cal.; 6.1 g protein; 6 g fat; 74 g carbo.; 291 mg sodium; 15 mg chol.

Golden Nutmeg People Cookies

Look for golden syrup in markets that sell specialty foods. Or substitute light corn syrup.

Follow directions for gingerbread people, preceding, omitting allspice, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and molasses. Into the creamed mixture, beat 1 tablespoon each ground nutmeg and vanilla. Then mix in 1-1/3 cups (16-oz. can) golden syrup or light corn syrup.

Per cooky: 390 cal.; 6.1 g protein; 6.1 g fat; 77 g carbo.; 304 mg sodium; 15 mg chol.

Making the cutter

You need a permanent felt-tip marker or china marker; a ruler; a piece of 6-inch-wide, 37-inch-long aluminum roof flashing (about 45^ a foot at hardware stores and lumberyards); work gloves; tin snips (or old scissors); tracing paper; a pencil; a large nail; and masking tape.