RECIPE | Adults-only gingerbread cookies with a sexy, spicy twist

I’m a lucky girl, as many newly released cookbooks pass my desk. So when this little book got tucked under Yotam Ottolenghi’s latest, Flavour  (I’m a huge Yotam fan!), it slipped under my radar — until I took a closer look.

Patti Paige of @BakedIdeas certainly had a bit of fun in putting the publication together. She has come up with the cute idea of baking gingerbread duos in various Kama Sutra positions. Nothing too serious, she shares recipes for 25 gingerbread people in different positions so you can make your own tempting treats.

These make a great stocking filler, with which you may be able to tease your loved one into the kitchen and get creative, tempt a new partner or perk up a jaded relationship with a cosy baking session.

It got me thinking that perhaps some homemade gingerbread people could make great Christmas-present tags — adults only, of course — or even edible decorations, very high up on the Christmas tree.

I found Patti’s recipe for gingerbread people way too complicated, so I’m sharing my favourite recipe, which will do the trick.

To achieve the shapes, you can get Patti's naughty cookie cutters here, buy the book, which has all 25, or try out the templates from the book provided below.

• The Gingerbread Kama Sutra: 25 Mind-Blowing Bakes by Patti Paige is published by Kyle Books distributed locally by Jonathan Ball Publishers. 

GINGERBREAD PEOPLE

Makes: About 8 couples

Dough:

125g butter, softened

125ml (½ cup) brown sugar

270g (2 ¼ cups) wheat flour

Pinch of salt

2.5ml (½ tsp) bicarbonate of soda

7.5ml (1 ½ tsp) ground ginger

5ml (1 tsp) mixed spice

Approximately 60ml (4 tbsp) warm golden syrup

Approximately 60ml (4 tbsp) warmed treacle

Icing:

250ml (1 cup) icing sugar, sifted

Water

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar very well until soft.
3. Add the sifted dry ingredients and mix till just incorporated, don’t overmix.
4. Add enough syrup and treacle to make a stiff dough.
5. Divide the dough and knead each piece gently and roll out between two pieces of baking paper.
6. Chill the dough in the paper in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.
7. Use cookie cutters or trace the template of the chosen position and place over chilled dough. Using a sharp knife cut around the template.
8. Very carefully, using a spatula lift the gingerbread people onto a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper.
9. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. As it will be soft, cool completely before lifting.
10. For the icing, place the icing sugar in a mixing bowl and add one teaspoon of water at a time until it’s thick enough to pipe on the biscuits.
11. Spoon icing into a disposable piping bag, cut the point off to create a small hole and pipe an outline on the gingerbread couple as per picture.