As the festive season approaches, the scent of spiced baking begins to fill homes across the UK. This year, a professional secret has been shared to help create the perfect batch of gingerbread. Liberty Mendez, a former pastry chef who worked in the House of Commons, has revealed her ultimate, easy recipe that promises delicious results with minimal fuss.
The Secret to Stress-Free Festive Baking
Mendez's recipe, featured by the Mirror, is celebrated for its simplicity and adaptability. With a short ingredient list and a total hands-on time of around 20 minutes, followed by a 15-minute bake, it's designed to be accessible for bakers of all levels. The chef herself highlights its family-friendly nature, stating the dough is "extremely forgiving if overworked, so it's perfect for baking with children."
Home bakers who have tried a similar recipe from Good Food praise its ease, with some adding their own twists like grated fresh ginger or nutmeg. One enthusiastic reviewer noted the results were "lovely chewy spicy cookies" that taste especially good when warmed.
Liberty Mendez's Ultimate Easy Gingerbread: Method
The process begins by gently melting 100g salted butter, 3 tbsp golden syrup, and 100g dark muscovado sugar together in a pan. Once melted and combined, this buttery mixture is set aside to cool slightly.
In a large bowl, ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda, 1 tbsp ground ginger, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, and 225g plain flour are mixed together. The warm syrup mixture is then poured in and stirred until a dough forms. A little milk can be added if needed to bring it together.
The soft dough is rolled out between sheets of baking parchment to a 0.5 cm thickness, then chilled in the fridge for 1 hour to firm up. Once chilled, shapes are cut out and baked at 190°C (170°C for fan ovens) for 10 to 12 minutes. After cooling, they can be decorated with a simple icing made from 50g icing sugar mixed with a tablespoon or two of water.
Inspiring Your Festive Kitchen
This recipe arrives just in time for the Christmas baking rush, offering a classic activity that fills the home with festive fragrance. Its straightforward method and forgiving dough make it an ideal starting point for new bakers or a fun, mess-friendly project for families. With the basic recipe mastered, the creative possibilities for decoration are endless, from simple snowflakes to intricate gingerbread people.
For those looking to expand their baking repertoire further, a range of cookbooks are currently available. Titles like Jane’s Patisserie: Classic and Nigella Lawson's How to be A Domestic Goddess offer discounts, while The Great British Bake Off: Comfort Bakes provides new inspiration from the latest series.
