Movember Gingerbread Men

I know I’m a little late to post this article but at least it is still the month of November {just} or is it now known as 'Movember'?

I did get to finish the baking I mentioned on my blog last Thursday, but not before it was too dark and late to photograph the finished product, so here we are today....'Moustached Gingerbread Men'.

 I’m talking about the guys growing a moustache for such a serious issue and to raise awareness of Prostate and Testicular Cancer.  I think it’s a great idea and quite fun to see someone sporting a hairy top lip that normally you wouldn’t ever see with a moustache.  It brings you to a sudden stop initially until the penny drops and you realise what it’s all about.... It certainly gets attention and was such a clever idea who ever thought it up initially.

So with that thought in mind when I saw earlier this week an interruption on this theme, I thought it was a great idea. Pop over to The Art of Being Perfect and check out the perfect chaps!

Being a woman and obviously not wanting to grow a moustache myself....not that I could I hasten to add very quickly... {I remember comments from children about granny’s spiky kisses ~ heaven forbid}

So I’m glad to be able to do my bit....

They have been a big success and so easy to make. Mine aren't perfect but my excuse was that I couldn't find my gingerbread cutters, so I had to improvise by making a template by hand. I still think they're cute though no matter what...and they taste yummy.

 

Gingerbread Men with Moustaches ~ Makes around 20 biscuits

Ingredients

350g plain flour, plus more to dust
4 tsp ground ginger ½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp mixed spice
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
pinch of salt
125g butter, fridge cold
1 large egg yolk
75g dark muscovado sugar
3 tbsp golden syrup
2 tbsp black treacle

100g currants, to decorate, optional
Sift the flour, spices, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large bowl and add the butter, cut into small chunks. Gently rub together with your fingertips ~ or pulse in a food processor ~ until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Add the egg yolk, both sugar’s, syrup and treacle and mix together until you have a firm dough. If it’s too sticky, mix in a little more flour.
Wrap in cling film and chill for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 180C/170C fan/350F/Gas Mark 4.
Line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to 4mm thick, and cut out your gingerbread men. Remove the excess dough and repeat this process until all the dough is used up. Transfer the gingerbread men to the lined baking sheets (if using, add current eyes before baking) bake for 10-15 minutes.
The gingerbreads will have darkened a little.

Remove from the oven and leave to firm up a little for a few minutes,  then  gently transfer to a wire rack to cool. They will become crisper as they cool.

Only a few hours left of the weekend so I'm away to enjoy it....hope your weekend is going well ;{)
A little moustached smiley face today...did you notice??? LOL x