Super simple, well spiced and foolproof - gingerbread keeps for 3-4 weeks if stored correctly, so they are my go-to biscuit for edible gifts, especially if they need to be posted overseas!
Total time to make : 1hr 10 minutes Time to prep : 15 minutes Time to chill : 45 minutes
Time to bake : 8-10 minutes
Servings : 34 (depending on size)
Ingredients
125g unsalted butter
100g brown sugar
200g golden syrup
375g plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate soda
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp mixed spice
Method
In a saucepan, melt together the butter, sugar and golden syrup on a low heat until combined. Remove from heat and allow to cool a little
In a bowl, combine the flour, bicarb and spices
Pour the liquid mixture into the flour and spices bowl and mix together until a dough is formed
Tip the dough onto a sheet of cling film, wrap up and chill in the fridge for at least 45 minutes
Preheat a fan oven to 160C
Once chilled, remove the dough from the fridge and roll on a clean surface*, using a sprinkling of plain flour on the surface and rolling pin to stop it from sticking, until the dough is about 1/2cm thick
Use cookie cutters to cut out the gingerbread shapes** and place onto baking trays lined with baking paper, bake for 8-10 minutes depending on the size of your gingerbread***
Re-roll the left-over dough as necessary and repeat
Once out the oven, leave to cool on a wire rack before decorating with icing
* I wrap and tape baking paper to a large heavy chopping board to make it easier to roll/clean after and to use less flour
** to stop smaller or more intricate shapes from 'spreading' whilst baking, I freeze them once cut-out for at least 20 minutes in the freezer. Does not affect bake time
*** remove gingerbread men just as they start to turn golden, they might still look a bit pale but they'll cool to still be soft in the middle. If you want them crunchy with no chew (wtf who does that), wait for them to turn golden
Nutritional Information
95 calories
1g protein, 15g carbs, 3g fat
Good to know
Store once cooled in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 - 4 weeks
Dough can be frozen for up to 2 months, just thaw before rolling, or cut-out shapes stored for up to 2 months, ready to bake straight from frozen
Vegetarian