Christmas tree cookies

Directions

Cookies

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, you are using an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. 
3. Beat in egg and molasses. 
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well.
5. Roll dough into half-inch balls, then roll each in sugar before placing on a parchment-lined baking sheet, at least one inch apart. 
6. Bake until puffy and lightly browned, eight to 10 minutes. 
7. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and place on a cooling rack until cool. 

Meringues

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. 
2. Gently whisk together egg whites and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer
3. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water. The water should be shallow enough not to touch the bottom of the stand mixer bowl. 
4. Whisk the egg white sugar mixture over the steam until the sugar is dissolved and the temperature reaches 160 degrees F. 
5. Remove from the heat and place the bowl in the stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, whisk on high until stiff peaks form and the meringue mixture reaches room temperature. Add in vanilla and salt and whisk again until fully incorporated. 
6. Add green gel food colouring to the meringue mixture and mix again. Alternatively, you can paint the inside of your piping bag for a striped look. 
7. Fit a piping bag with a star tip and fill it with your meringue mixture. 
8. Pipe tall rosette kisses onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. 
9. Bake for 90 mins to two hours or until completely dry to the touch. Meringue kisses should come off the parchment quickly. If they stick, keep baking them. 
10. Remove from the oven and let cool completely

Assembly

1. Top a ginger cookie base with a small chocolate ganache, jam, or buttercream dollop. 
2. Top with meringue kiss and dust with lustre dust for a glittery finish. Enjoy!