Halloween Skeleton Zombie Gingerbread Men Recipe is below. If you would like to know what the real meaning of Halloween is read below, plus you’ll find the link to my super yummy Halloween Cookies.
Gingerbread recipe
125g butter, at room temperature (Organic) 100g (1/2 cup, firmly packed) Brown Sugar
125ml (1/2 cup) golden syrup
1 egg, separated (Organic) 375g (2 1/2 cups) plain flour (Organic) 1 tablespoon ground ginger (Organic) 1 teaspoon mixed spice 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda Plain flour, to dust surface with rolling
Melted butter, to grease tray
Decoration
Coles Halloween marshmallow skeleton heads
1 egg white from above (Organic)
150g (1 cup) CSR Pure Icing Sugar, sifted
Directions
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Butter 2 large baking trays to lightly grease.
Use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugar until slightly creamy, then add golden syrup and egg yolk and beat until combined.
Stir in the flour, ginger, mixed spice and bicarbonate of soda.
Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.
On a lightly floured surface out dough in 2 batches, until about 5 mm thick. Use an approval 12 gingerbread man cutter to cut out shapes. Place on trays leave at least 2cm space between each.
Bake for approx 10 or until edges start to brown slightly.
Remove from oven and allow to cool.
Decoration Instructions Place egg white in a dry bowl. Use an electric beater to whip until soft peaks form. Gradually add icing sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
Put icing into a piping bag with a very small tip. Glue on marshmallow heads with icing and pipe the skeleton bones on to each gingerbread man.
Allow to dry before putting in a jar.
You might also like to read my article with the recipe for these fun Halloween cookies. Go to
So what’s is Halloween all about ?
Well it’s certainly not about scary movies and blood and guts as Hollywood movies might have us believe. It has much more spiritual significance and is quite a lovely tradition to share with your children. So as children and adults participate in the fun of Halloween on the night of October 31st, few will be aware of its historic Celtic roots in the Samhain (Samain) festival. In Celtic Ireland about 2,000 years ago, Samhain was the division of the year between the lighter half (summer) and the darker half (winter). It is believed at Samhain the division between this world and the otherworld was at its thinnest, allowing spirits to pass through.
Hence family's ancestors were honoured and invited home whilst harmful spirits were warded off. People wore costumes and masks to disguise themselves as harmful spirits and thus avoiding harm. Bonfires and food played a large part in the harvest festivities. Food was prepared for the living and the dead, food for the passed ancestors was ritually shared with the less well off, and shared with the children who often collected food for the festivities.
Christianity incorporated the honouring of the dead into the Christian calendar with All Saints (All Hallows) on November 1st, followed by All Souls on November 2nd. The wearing of costumes and masks to ward off harmful spirits survived as Halloween customs.
So why is it considered such an American custom? The Irish emigrated to America in great numbers during the 19th century especially around the time of famine in Ireland during the 1840's. The Irish carried their Halloween traditions to America. Over time other traditions have blended into Halloween, for example the American harvest time tradition of carving pumpkins.
So whether you’re from Scottish Gaelic and Celtic ancestors as my family are or Irish, Italian, American we all feel a connection to this celebration and it’s a great way to keep tradition and history alive for our children whilst honouring our departed loved ones.
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