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Aussie gingerbread ute recipe
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Prep Time:
295 minutes
Cook Time:
30 minutes
Total Time:
325 minutes
Celebrate Christmas with our Australian twist on gingerbread - adorable gingerbread utes filled with iconic animals!
Ingredients:
  • 250g butter, chopped
  • 140g (2/3 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
  • 80ml (1/3 cup) golden syrup
  • 80ml (1/3 cup) honey
  • 750 (5 cups) plain flour
  • 20.00 gm ground ginger
  • 10.00 gm ground cinnamon
  • 10.00 gm cocoa powder
  • 3.75 gm bicarbonate of soda
  • 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
  • 290g packet dark chocolate melts, melted
  • 1 egg white, plus extra, if needed
  • 230g (1 1/2 cups) pure icing sugar
  • 2.65 gm lemon juice
  • Orange, black, yellow and green food colour pastes
Instructions:
  • In a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter with sugar, syrup, and honey. Stir frequently for 5 minutes until smooth. Let it cool for 30 minutes. Gradually add eggs one by one, beating thoroughly after each addition.
  • Combine the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cocoa, bicarb, and cardamom in a large bowl. Create a well in the center and pour in the butter mixture, mix until well combined (dough will be soft). Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface, knead lightly, flatten slightly, and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour until firm.
  • Divide the dough into 3 equal portions. Roll out one portion on a floured surface to 5mm thickness. Transfer the rolled dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use a template to cut out ute shapes from the dough, maintaining a 2cm gap between each piece. Chill the tray in the fridge for 20 minutes. Repeat the process with the remaining 2 portions of dough and cut out the rest of the ute shapes.
  • Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan forced. Carefully remove any excess dough from between the gingerbread pieces and set aside for later use. Bake the pieces for 10-12 minutes, or until they turn golden and feel firm to the touch. Allow them to cool on the trays for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
  • Gather the excess dough, roll it out on a floured surface, then chill in the fridge for 10 minutes. Line a baking tray with paper. Roll the dough to 5mm thickness and cut out shapes using Aussie animal cutters. Arrange on the tray and bake for 10-12 minutes until golden and firm.
  • Spread dark melted chocolate on the flat back of each gingerbread ute using a palette knife. Set aside to allow the chocolate to set. Transfer the remaining melted chocolate to a snap lock bag and snip off a corner.
  • Construct the ute by using the chocolate as the "glue". Fix the half wheels to the inside top half of each wheel to provide support for the base. Place a 2cm-thick rectangular piece of foam or a chopping board under the base of the ute for added support. Pipe chocolate around the edge of each side piece and affix them to the base. Allow it to set. For additional support, consider placing the ute between two cake pans while it sets.
  • Use the melted chocolate to attach the back and front parts of the ute, ensuring the pieces set properly between each step. Then, add the top of the bonnet, grilles, windscreen, top of the cab, back cab window, and ute boot, making any necessary trims to fit them all together. Allow the gingerbread to set aside.
  • Using electric beaters, whip the egg white in a bowl until foamy. Stir in the icing sugar and lemon juice until the mixture is smooth and pipable. Divide the icing into 5 bowls. Keep one portion white. Add orange food paste to one, black to another (for grey), yellow to a third, and green to the fourth. Adjust the consistency with a little extra beaten egg white if needed.
  • Prepare separate snap lock bags for each icing. Cut off a small corner of each bag or use piping bags with a 2mm plain nozzle. Pipe outlines onto the ute using the white icing. Use the colored icing to create windows, doors, and designs like dots, stripes, squiggles, or gum leaf patterns. Get creative and add a unique number plate if desired. Let it set.
  • Decorate the animal gingerbread with the leftover colored icing by piping outlines and filling in the shapes. Gently tap the biscuits to settle the icing, then allow them to set aside.
  • Arrange the yule log on a platter garnished with festive animal figurines. Happy Holidays!

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