Christmas Cookie Recipe: Gingerbread Men
圣誕甜點秘方：姜餅人

Time: 1 hour 45 minutes (plus chill time)
制作時間：1小時45分鐘（包括冷卻時間）

Yields: About 24 cookies
制作量：約24塊甜餅

? 3? cups all-purpose flour
1）家用面粉——3.5杯

? 1? tsp. baking soda
2）發(fā)酵粉（又名小蘇打，碳酸氫鈉）——1.5茶匙

? ? tsp. salt
3）鹽——1/4茶匙

? 1? tsp. ground cinnamon
4）肉桂粉——1.25茶匙

? 1? tsp. ground ginger
5）姜粉——1.25茶匙

? 1? tsp. ground allspice
6）多香果粉——1.25茶匙

? ? tsp. ground cloves
7）丁香粉——1/4茶匙

? 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
8）無鹽奶油（黃油）——1杯或2塊，要松軟

? ? cup granulated sugar
9）砂糖——3/4杯

? ? cup packed dark brown sugar
10）（袋裝）紅糖——3/4杯

? 4 tsp. peeled and grated fresh ginger
11）新鮮生姜——去皮、磨碎，4茶匙

? 1 egg
12）雞蛋——1個

? ? cup unsulfured molasses
13）未熏硫糖精——1/4杯

? Royal Icing, optional（recipe below）
14）糖霜酥皮——可選項（秘方見后文）

1. In large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ground ginger, allspice, and cloves; set aside.
1. 首先，將面粉、發(fā)酵粉、食鹽、肉桂粉、生姜粉、多香果粉以及丁香粉放入大碗中進行攪拌，然后把它放在一邊；

2. In bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat together butter, sugars, and fresh ginger on low speed until combined. Increase speed to medium; beat until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Beat in egg and molasses until blended. Reduce speed to low and gradually add in flour mixture, beating until just incorporated.
2. 隨后，將奶油（黃油）、糖以及新鮮的生姜放入攪拌機（帶有攪拌器）中，以低速攪拌至完全融合為止。之后，將攪拌速度提升至中速，攪拌2-3分鐘，直至松軟（偶爾也會放棄使用帶有橡皮刮刀的攪拌機）。然后將雞蛋和糖精放入攪拌機內(nèi)攪拌均勻。最后將速度調(diào)整至低速，再將面粉混合物慢慢放入攪拌機中，與攪拌機內(nèi)的混合物攪拌至充分融合為止。

3. Transfer dough to clean work surface. Dough will be very sticky and wet. Divide dough in half, and flatten each half into a disk and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
3. 將生面團置于干凈的案板之上（生面團會很粘稠且濕潤）。將生面團一切為二，并打平，然后分別放入兩個圓盤中，用塑料袋（譯者注：這里的塑料袋可能類似于我們常用的保鮮膜）包裹起來，放入冰箱至少4小時，或者一整夜。

4. Arrange 2 racks in upper and lower thirds of oven. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Remove dough from refrigerator, and let stand until slightly softened. (This will help keep dough from cracking when rolled.) On large piece of parchment paper lightly dusted with flour, using a floured rolling pin, roll dough to about ?-inch thickness. To prevent dough from sticking to parchment while rolling, occasionally run large metal offset spatula under dough, and sprinkle work surface with more flour. Place parchment paper with rolled-out dough on another cookie sheet; freeze until very firm, about 15 minutes.
4. 在烤箱中放入兩個支架，預(yù)熱烤箱至350華氏度（約177攝氏度）。同時，用（假）偽羊皮紙包裹2個甜餅盤，放在一邊。將生面團從冰箱中取出，豎起放于一邊，慢慢解凍（豎起放置能夠有效防止揉面團時生面團破裂的情況）。同時，在偽羊皮紙包裹的甜餅盤內(nèi)撒上少許的面粉，再用搟面杖將生面團搟至0.25英寸（0.635厘米）薄。為了防止搟面的過程中，生面團會黏在偽羊皮紙上，有時候我們會在生面團下面放一個較大的金屬刮刀（譯者注：根據(jù)上下文，金屬刮刀應(yīng)該類似于我們家中常用的菜刀，但是可能比菜刀要稍大一些，畢竟生面團還是比較大的），并在案板上撒更多的面粉。在此之后，先用偽羊皮紙包裹已經(jīng)搟好的一塊生面團，再將其放入一個甜餅盤中，放進冰箱冷凍至很硬為止，時間約為15分鐘。

5. Remove dough from freezer; working quickly, with floured cookie cutters, cut out desired shapes. (If dough begins to soften and cookies don’t hold their shape, return to freezer for a few minutes.) With wide metal spatula, transfer cutouts to prepared baking sheets; refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.
5. 將冰箱中的生面團取出，根據(jù)自己的需要，使用餅切做好甜餅的形狀（如果生面團變軟，甜餅無法保持形狀的話，那就再把生面團放回冰箱，等待幾分鐘）。之后使用金屬刮刀將生面團放到預(yù)先備好的烘焙盤中，最后將其放入冰箱冷凍至堅硬，時間約為15分鐘。

6. Bake cookies until crisp but not darkened, 12 to 15 minutes, rotating sheets between upper and lower racks halfway through baking. Keep cookies on parchment and transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Decorate as desired with decorative sugar or Royal Icing.
6. 將成型的生面團自冰箱取出，放入烤箱中，烘焙12-15分鐘，直至甜餅酥脆為止，切忌烘焙至深色（會糊的呦~），此外，在烘焙至6-7分鐘時，務(wù)必將烤箱中間層的甜餅翻個個（兩面都要烤到酥脆嘛~）。烘焙完成以后，將甜餅放于偽羊皮紙上取出，并置于金屬支架上直至完全冷卻。最后可以根據(jù)自己的需要，使用糖霜酥皮為甜餅“打扮打扮”。

Royal Icing Recipe:
糖霜酥皮制作秘方：

? 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1）糖粉——2杯

? 2 tbs. meringue powder (an edible product available at baking and craft stores)
2）蛋白粉（可食用，面點房和工藝品店有售）——2湯匙

? Food coloring, as desired
3）根據(jù)需要著色

1. In bowl of electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat confectioners’ sugar, meringue powder, and 3 tbs. water until blended. Scrape side of bowl with rubber spatula. Increase speed to medium; beat until soft peaks form, about 10 minutes. Icing should be just stiff enough to hold its shape. Thin with more water, if needed.
1. 將糖粉、蛋白粉、以及3湯匙水放入攪拌機中攪拌至融合（攪拌機的一面需配備橡皮刮刀）。將攪拌速度調(diào)整為中速，攪拌10分鐘，直至柔軟聳立狀。糖衣必須能夠保持甜餅原有的形狀，如果有需要，可以在稀糖衣中添加更多的水。

2. Tint icing with food coloring as desired; cover surface with plastic wrap until ready to use.
2. 根據(jù)需要，用食用色素為糖霜酥皮著色，此外，在使用糖霜酥皮之前，請用保鮮膜蓋住。