Recipe - Gingerbread Bears

1 cup Butter,or margarine;
softened
2/3 cup Brown Sugar,light; packed
One half cup Molasses,light
1 Egg,large
3 One half cup Flour,AllPurpose
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
Spices*

*Use 1 teaspoon of each spice: ground ginger, ground allspice, ground
cinnamon and ground cloves. 1In a large bowl, at low speed, beat butter,
brown sugar and molasses until light and fluffy. Add egg and remaining
ingredients. Beat at low speed until well mixed, constantly scraping bowl
with rubber spatula. Shape dough into a ball, wrap tightly with plastic
wrap adn chill 34 hours. 2Lightly grease 2 large cookie sheets, turn oven
to 350. On

lightly floured surface using a floured rolling pin, roll One half of dough
1/4inch thick. Keep other half refrigerated. With a 3inch cookie cutter,
cat as many cookies as you can;

reserve trimmings. With pancake turner, carefully place cookies on cookie
sheets. Bake for 12 minutes or until edges

are light brown. Remove to wire racks to cool. Repeat with other half of
dough and trimmings. 3Prepare FROSTING: In a large bowl using mixer at low
speed

beat 5 cups powdered sugar, One half teaspoon cream of tartar, and 4 egg whites
just until mixed. Turn speed to high and beat until stiff. Divide dough
into small bowls and tint each with food coloring of your choice. If
necessary, add a little water for spreading ease. Keep all bowls covered
with

plastic wrap to prevent drying out. 4Decorate cookies: place cookies on
waxed paper lined cookie sheets. With small

and medium artist's brushes, paint the cookies. Allow cookies to dry
completely, about 2 hours. Store in tightly covered containers. First Place
winner, Sarah Cristal,age 13, Spring Valley Ca at the Del Mar county fair
1993. Jo Anne Merrill
Recipe By : Jo Anne Merrill

Posted to MCRecipe Digest V1 #309

Date: Thu, 21 Nov 1996 11:39:42 0800 (PST)

From: Hoppie steveh@ccnet.com