Mary Goodsell loves the nostalgic smells of homemade gingerbread biscuits and this is the perfect family-friendly recipe to make at home.
Ingredients:
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 450g (16oz) plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp ground ginger
• 150g (5oz) butter, softened
• 150g (5oz) light muscovado sugar
• 150g (5oz) golden syrup
• 50g (2oz) black treacle
• Pinch of salt
• Piping icing or icing pens and edible decorations to decorate
Cooking time: 10 to 12 minutes, plus 30 mins chilling and overnight resting
Method:
1. Add the butter, sugar, syrup and treacle to a mixer, or mix by hand with a wooden spoon. Mix until thoroughly combined.
2. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.
3. Now add the flour, baking powder, ground ginger and a pinch of salt – then combine. The dough should look very soft! Now place your dough into the fridge for 6-8 hours or overnight.
4. Roll out the dough on a non-stick work surface that is lightly dusted with flour to roughly 2mm thickness. Take your biscuit cutters and makes as many shapes as you can with the dough. Then place onto a lined baking sheet and put it in the fridge for 30 minutes.
5. Heat your oven to 170C, 150C fan, gas mark 3. After 30 minutes, remove the tray from the fridge and put into the oven.
6. Cook the gingerbread for 10-12 minutes, depending on your oven. Keep a close eye that they don’t go too crispy. Remove from the oven and leave to cool before trying to move them.
7. Once the biscuits are completely cool you can decorate as you wish. A great way to get kids involved is to let them decorate to their heart’s content with all the glitter and festive decorations available at this time of year! You can make your own icing to decorate, leave plain or buy the ready-made icing pens which are also very effective.
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