Chocolate Gingerbread Christmas Trees Recipe

METHOD

• 1

  To make gingerbread, beat cream cheese, butter, sugar and golden syrup in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low speed, add combined sifted flour, cocoa, spices and baking powder until just incorporated. Knead gently on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Divide dough in half. Roll each half between sheets of baking paper until 3mm thick. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

• 2

  Preheat oven to 180°C. Using 10cm, 9cm, 8cm, 7cm, 6cm, 5cm and 4cm star cookie cutters, cut out six stars of each size, re-rolling the dough as necessary. Cut three extra 4cm stars. In batches, place on 3 large lightly greased oven trays lined with baking paper and bake for 12-15 minutes. Cool

• 3

  Place white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave on 80% power for 60-90 seconds, in bursts, until almost melted. Stir to combine. Place chocolate in a piping bag fitted with a 3mm plain nozzle.

• 4

  Pipe chocolate following the outline of each star. For each tree, stack the stars starting from the largest to the smallest (arrange two stars the same size at off set angles and securing with melted chocolate), decorating each star with melted chocolate. Decorate with crumbled FLAKE bar. Refrigerate for 10 minutes for chocolate to set.