Gingerbread men

Gingerbread men

Ingredients

• 350g plain flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 125g butter
• 175g soft light brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 4 tbsp golden syrup
• 200g royal icing
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Water as necessary

Method

1. Mix together the flour, ginger, cinnamon and bicarbonate of soda in a food processor.
2. Add the butter and blitz until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs.
3. Stir in the sugar.
4. Slightly beat the egg and add to the mixture.
5. Add the golden syrup and blitz until combined. The mixture should clump together and form a ball.
6. Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a couple of mins until smooth.
7. Wrap in cling film and put in the fridge for 15 mins.
8. Preheat the oven to 180C.
9. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until approx. ½ a cm thick.
10. Cut out gingerbread man shapes with a cookie cutter.
11. Place on a baking sheet lined with baking paper, leaving some room between each one.
12. Bake for 12 mins until golden.
13. Allow to cool for a few mins and then transfer to a wire rack until cold.
14. To make the icing mix the royal icing sugar with the lemon juice and as much water as you need to get the desired consistency.
15. Pipe onto the gingerbread men in any way you like.