Recipe:

Gingerbread cookies

Ingredients (makes plenty):

Dry ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda²

1 tbsp ground ginger¹

1 tsp fresh grated ginger

1 tsp 5-spice powder

120 g butter, room temperature

100 g soft brown sugar

1 large egg; 160 ml dark honey

Icing:

Lemon juice; Icing sugar; Silver or gold dragees

Food coloring

Method:

1. Sift³ dry ingredients together.

2. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy⁴（蓬松的）. Add the egg and honey and beat until well combined. Gradually beat in dry ingredients.

3. Divide dough⁵ into two batches⁷. Wrap in plastic and chill. (Cold dough is easier to work with.)

4. Preheat oven to 175 C. Line baking sheets.

5. Roll out dough between two large sheets of parchment paper（羊皮纸）. The dough becomes tacky quickly if you roll on it directly.

6. Shape cookies and transfer to lined baking sheets.

7. If you are using the gingerbread as decor for the Christmas tree, you need to make a little hole in the cookies so you can hang them up. I find the best way is to use a drinking straw to poke⁸ a hole at the top of the cooking. It's neat and quick.

8. Bake cookies for about 12 to 15 minutes, depending on how large or small you have cut them. Watch the first batch⁶ to better estimate your timing⁹. Cool cookies completely before icing.

To make icing:

1. Sift icing sugar into bowl and add just enough lemon juice to form a spreadable icing.

Add less rather than more juice and adjust the consistency¹⁰ till you get it right.

2. To color the icing, use a toothpick（牙签） to add drops of color to the icing. I know it's Christmas, but please use less rather than more color, or it will all look like an Austin Powers Shagadelic party gone wrong.

3. Ice the gingerbread cookies and decorate as you will.