Ingredients
Gingerbread men
Royal icing (1 quantity)
Method
Gingerbread men
1.Crumble kisses (with filling) into a medium bowl. Using hands, knead the mixture into a ball. Roll the mixture between sheets of baking paper to a 1.5cm (¾-inch) thickness. Transfer, on baking paper, to tray, refrigerate 20 minutes.
2.Using a 9cm (3¾-inch) cutter, cut out as many gingerbread men as possible. Re-roll mixture to cut out a total of eight men. Place on baking paper-lined trays, freeze 1 hour or refrigerate 3 hours or overnight,until firm.
3.Stir chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl over a medium saucepan of simmering water until smooth (don’t let water touch base of bowl). Tint light brown using brown and orange colouring. Pour into a heatproof jug.
4.Dip 4.5cm (1¾ inches) of the end of one paddle pop stick into chocolate; place coated end of paddle pop stick over back of gingerbread man, pressing lightly until beginning to set. Return to tray. Repeat with remaining sticks and gingerbread men. Place in freezer for about 5 minutes to set.
5.Re-melt chocolate if necessary. Working quickly, hold a gingerbread man over the jug of chocolate, spoon chocolate over man to cover. Allow excess chocolate to drip back into the jug. Stand cake pop upright in a styrofoam block until set. Repeat with remaining men and chocolate.
6.To make royal icing, sift icing sugar through a fine sieve. Lightly beat the egg white into a small bowl until mixture is just broken up (do not whip into peaks). Beat in the icing sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, until it reaches desired consistency. Using a wooden spoon mix in the lemon juice.
7.Spoon royal icing into a piping bag fitted with 4mm (¼-inch) tube. Pipe around outline of men. Pipe face and secure three M&M’s to each gingerbread man for buttons. Stand at room temperature until set.
Ginger kisses are small cream-filled sponge cakes, about 25g each.
Note
