- 125g Butter at room temperature
- 100g (1/2 cup, firmly packed) Brown Sugar
- 125ml (1/2 cup) Golden Syrup
- 1 Egg separated
- 375g (2 1/2 cups) Plain Flour
- 1 tbs Ground Ginger
- 1 tsp Mixed Spice
- 1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
- Plain Flour to dust
- Pure Icing Sugar to decorate
- Food Colouring to decorate
- Smarties to decorate
Step 1
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Prepare 2 baking trays with baking paper or lightly grease.
Step 2
Use an electric beater to beat the butter and sugar in a bowl until pale and creamy. Add the golden syrup and egg yolk. Beat until combined. Stir in the flour, ginger, mixed spice and bicarbonate of soda. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Press dough into a disc. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.
Step 3 – If you want to decorate
Place egg white in a clean, dry bowl. Use an electric mixer to beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add icing sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Divide the icing sugar and add the desired food colouring to each until you have the colours you wish to use to decorate the gingerbread men. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge.
If you only want to decorate with smarties (like I did) simply make a small amount of white icing (as above) to attach them to your gingerbread men. Cover the icing with plastic wrap and place in the fridge.
Step 4
Place the dough between 2 pieces of baking paper and roll out until about 4mm thick. Use a gingerbread man cutter to cut out the men. Place on trays about 3cms apart. Repeat with excess dough.
Step 5
Bake in oven for 10 minutes or until brown. Remove from oven. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Step 6
Place prepared icings in piping bags. Pipe icing over gingerbread men to decorate or simply use to attach Smarties as eyes and buttons to decorate.
