Christmas wouldn’t be complete without a bit of home baking… and Gingerbread is the perfect recipe for the whole family to enjoy! This recipe can be used to make either gingerbread cookies or, if you are feeling a little more adventurous, why not make a gingerbread Inn?
For the cookies
350g plain flour
175g dark muscovado sugar
100g butter
85g golden Syrup
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 egg, beaten
For Decorating
Icing sugar (mixed with water) or readymade writing icing
Sweets/chocolate/sprinkles
Method
In a saucepan, melt the butter with the sugar and golden syrup. Let it bubble for 1-2 minutes and then leave it to cool for around 10 minutes.
Mix together the flour, bicarbonate of soda and spices in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre of the dry mixture and gently pour the warm syrup into the well, followed by the beaten egg. Stir everything together and then gently need the mixture in the bowl until it is smooth and streak-free. Don’t worry if it seems too gooey, the dough will firm up as it cools. Wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Remove the dough from the fridge, leave at room temperature until softened. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and line your baking trays with baking paper.
Roll out the dough to the thickness of a £1 coin, then cut out gingerbread with a cutter of your choice (see our photo for inspiration!). Place the biscuits on the baking tray and then re-roll the excess dough until it’s all used up.
Bake for 10-12 mins, swapping the trays over halfway through cooking. Leave to cool on the trays for 5 mins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Use the icing to decorate the biscuits as you wish, be as creative as you like! Leave to dry for 1-2 hrs.
