Method
Preheat the oven to 170C,150C fan, gas 3. Sift the flour, salt, bicarbonate of soda and spices into a large bowl.
In a separate bowl using an electric whisk beat the butter, sugar and golden syrup until pale and creamy. Add the egg and yolks gradually beating well after each addition.
Add the flour mixture and mix until it all comes together. Divide into 2, wrap with cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 mins or overnight.
Remove from the fridge and allow to soften slightly. Roll out to the thickness of a £1coin and using gingerbread men cutters cut out families of biscuits. Re roll cookie dough remains together to use all of the dough.
Place on lined baking trays and bake in batches for 10-15 minutes until golden. Leave to cool slightly on the trays before transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the icing buy placing the egg white in a bowl and adding the icing sugar gradually to build up a paste. Add the lemon juice and stir well. Spoon into an icing into an icing bag with a fine nozzle and pipe on faces, buttons and clothes.
Ingredients
- 600g (1lb 7oz) plain flour
- ½tsp salt
- ½tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- ½tsp ground cinnamon
- ½tsp ground nutmeg
- 200g (7oz) unsalted butter, softened
- 200g (7oz)soft light brown sugar
- 150g (5oz) golden syrup
- 1 egg, plus 2 egg yolks
- 250g (9oz) icing sugar
- 1 egg white
- ½tsp lemon juice
Top Tip for making Gingerbread Men
By making the dough the day before and leaving it in the fridge overnight you give the flavours a chance to mature, resulting in an even more tasty biscuit!