This Purim centerpiece is sure to keep all your guests “hanging around” until dessert. This project can be put together on any level, from simple backyard branches with plain gingerbread man cookies dangling, to curly willow branches with elaborately decorated royal iced gingerbread man cookies – and everything in between! Before you can say all of Haman’s 10 sons in one breath – the cookies will be gone.
Here is a basic cookie recipe to get you started:
Ingredients
4 cups flour 1 cup margarine 1-1/4 cups sugar 2 eggs 1/2 T. lemon juice 1 tsp. baking powder 1 T. vanilla sugar 1/4 c. orange juice
Directions
Mix flour and margarine in a large mixing bowl. Add sugar and eggs; mix. Add remaining dough ingredients; mix until well-combined. Roll dough out on parchment paper or cookie sheet.
Preparing Cookies For Tree
Supplies:
Cookie dough Gingerbread man cookie cutter You may use any of the following supplies to decorate your cookies (or keep them plain): Edible markers, colored sugar, rolled fondant or royal icing Hamentash chocolate mold 3 oz baking chocolate 5 oz yellow baking chocolate 4 yards and 1/8”of ribbon (cut into 12” pieces)
Directions
1. Roll out dough. 2. Using you cookie cutter, cut out 11 cookies (if you like you can make “Haman” larger) 3. Using a drinking straw, make a hole towards the top of the gingerbread man’s head. Bake according to recipe directions. (If using the recipe above: Bake at 350° for 12 to 15 minutes.) 4. Decorate cookies as desired 5. Thead ribbon through hole. Join ends of ribbon to form a tight knot. 6. Melt baking chocolate in double boiler or microwave. 7. Using a toothpick,” paint” the chocolate in the center of the hamantash mold. Allow to dry (approx 5 minutes) 8. Next, add the yellow chocolate to the bowl and remelt until the chocolate is well combined 9. Using a small spoon, fill the hamentash mold with the chocolate. 10. Place chocolate mold in freezer till solid. 11. Remove hamentash from molds. 12. Repeat process till each gingerbread man has a hat 13. Using the chocolate as your” glue” attach hamentash to cookie
Haman’s Tree
Supplies
Curly Willow branches (available at florists) or you can use backyard branches Large vase to fit branches 3-4 yards of 5/8 “ wide ribbon for bows 1 yard of 1-1/2“ wide ribbon 11 gingerbread cookies
Assembly
Arrange branches in vase Hang cookies from branches Cut 5/8” ribbon into 12” pieces-randomly tie bows around branches Wrap the 1-1/2” ribbon around vase and form bow. TIP: Instead of using a vase and branches, you can hang cookies from your chandelier over your dining table.
Cut out desired shapes with cookie cuttters and remove extra dough. Reroll extra dough and cut out additional cookies, continuing until all dough has been used.