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Cut It into Gingerbread Men

Old favorite's new scoop from FamilyFun

Frosty Fred and Frieda On days that are just too hot to bake cookies, you can still put your gingerbread men cookie cutters to good use by making some of these playful ice-cream characters. Then, with a handful of penny candy, your kids can dress them up for dinner.

FROSTY FRED AND FRIEDA

1 quart chocolate or vanilla ice cream
Gingerbread men cookie cutters
Assorted candies, such as red hots, shoestring licorice, Dots, M&M's and chocolate sprinkles

1. Line a 9-by-9-inch pan with two long pieces of plastic wrap. Lay one piece horizontally and the other vertically so that the edges overhang the sides of the pan by at least 3 inches.

2. Allow the ice cream to soften at room temperature for about 15 minutes. Spoon it into the pan and use a rubber spatula to spread it about 3/4 inch thick. Then lay a piece of plastic wrap on the ice cream and use your fingertips to smooth the top. Cover with aluminum foil and freeze for 3 or more hours, until firm.

3. Once the ice cream is frozen solid, line a cookie sheet with waxed paper or aluminum foil. Set a bowl of hot water, the gingerbread men cookie cutters and paper towels nearby. Then cover a flat working surface with aluminum foil.

4. Remove the pan of ice cream from the freezer and uncover. Holding the edges of the plastic wrap, lift the block of ice cream from the pan and set it on the foil-covered surface.

5. Working quickly, dip a cookie cutter into the hot water, blot it dry with a paper towel, and press it into the ice cream. Lift the cutter, if possible, or place your fingers under the plastic wrap and push the ice cream through the top of the cookie cutter. Set the ice-cream cutout on the lined cookie sheet and place it in the freezer. Cut out more ice-cream men and women, immediately placing each one in the freezer to keep it from melting while you work.

6. Now remove the cutouts from the freezer and decorate with candy buttons, licorice grins and chocolate-sprinkle hairdos. Cover them lightly with plastic wrap and return them to the freezer until ready to serve. Makes about 12 2- or 3-inch ice-cream people.

CUTOUTS FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS

Any cookie cutter with a simple bold outline can be used to shape a clever party dessert. Here are a few ideas to get you going:

• Cut out a family of coffee or chocolate ice-cream teddy bears for a child's tea party.
• Serve strawberry ice-cream hearts and diamonds at a family card party.
• Follow up a ball game with a treat of vanilla ice-cream baseballs decorated with shoestring licorice stitching.