Delicious gingery biscuits.
Ingredients
- 100 g butter
- 100 g muscovado sugar
- 175 g golden syrup
- 450 g plain flour
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 egg (beaten)
- currants (to decorate)
Method
- You'll need a large baking sheet, oiled and floured and a man-shaped biscuit cutter.
- Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F/Gas 3.)
- Put the butter, muscovado sugar and golden syrup in a saucepan and heat gently until the butter melts and the sugar completely dissolves.
- Bring to the boil.
- Sift the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
- Pour the boiled sugar into the well and work into the flour mixture with the beaten egg.
- Beat the mixture to form a smooth dough, and knead gently until elastic.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and, using a rolling pin, roll it out to a thickness of 5mm/one-eighth of an inch.
- Using a man-shaped biscuit cutter, cut out gingerbread men, kneading, re-rolling and cutting the trimmings until all the dough has been used up.
- Using a palette knife, transfer the gingerbread men to a large oiled and floured baking sheet, and gently press the currants in position to form eyes and nose.
- Put a row of currants down the centre as buttons.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack.
