Lunch: Gingerbread Snow Angels

This recipe includes superfoods such as:

Cinnamon

Health benefits of Gingerbread Snow Angels

Cinnamon is one of the best ingredients that someone with insulin sensitivity can eat. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to be very effective at normalizing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon contains hydroxychalcone, which is thought to enhance the effects of insulin. It has also been suggested that Cinnamon prevents post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing the gastric emptying rate - meaning that food digests slowly. (Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11506060).

Ingredients

2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. each ground ginger and cinnamon
1 tsp. each ground allspice
1/4 tsp. salt
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. mild molasses
1 large egg yolk

Instructions

In medium bowl, whisk flour, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, baking powder, baking soda and salt to blend. In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in molasses, then egg yolk. With mixer on low speed, gradually beat in flour mixture just until blended. Divide dough in half; shape each half into a 1-in.-thick disk; wrap in plastic and refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.
Heat oven to 350 °F. Line baking sheet(s) with parchment paper, nonstick foil or reusable nonstick liners. On floured surface, roll half the dough to a scant 1/4-in. thickness. Use a 3-in. gingerbread boy cutter to cut out 12 cookies (reroll dough scraps). Transfer to prepared baking sheet(s), 1 in. apart. Bake 10 minutes or until edges are starting to brown and cookies are set. Cool 3 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool completely.
On floured surface, roll remaining dough and the dough scraps very thin, about 1/8 in. Cut out 12 irregularly shaped rounds, about 4 1/2 in. in diameter. Transfer rounds with a spatula to prepared baking sheet, 1 in. apart. Bake 10 minutes or until edges are starting to brown and cookies are set. Cool on baking sheets.
Royal Icing: In a large bowl, with mixer on low speed, beat together icing ingredients on low just to blend, then increase mixer speed to high and beat 5 minutes, or until thick and stiff. Transfer half of the icing to a pastry bag fitted with a writing tip.
Decorations: To assemble snow angels, using the photo as a guide, thin some of the royal icing with a few drops of water. Using a small icing spatula, spread a very thin icing coating over the large cookies; place a gingerbread boy in the center of the icing. Using a skewer or toothpick, scrape the icing in concentric circles radiating from the sides of the gingerbread boy to simulate the tracks in the snow (see photo). Use the thick icing in the pastry bag to pipe designs on the gingerbread boy.

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