Gingerbread men
This one is really easy to prepare. I used to use a "man-shaped" cutter that I bought from a cook shop. I once made these for a friend who complained they were all men. It was some years before a different friend sent me a pair of man and woman "cookie cutters", so now my gingerbread men are no longer alone :)
Pre-heat the oven to Gas 3 (160ºC).
Grease a large baking sheet (as large as will fit in the oven)
Put the following into a mixing bowl and mix gently:
14 ounces plain flour
0.5 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
0.5 teaspoon ground ginger
0.5 teaspoon cinnamon
Put the following into a saucepan and and warm until the butter has melted, stirring regularly. Do not let it get too hot!:
2 ounces soft brown sugar
2 tablespoons golden syrup
1 ounce butter or margarine
Allow the saucepan to cool a little and pour into the mixing bowl along with:
1 teaspoon milk (in actual fact, water seems to work almost as well)
Mix and kneed into a firm dough.
Wrap in polythene and put in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Roll out the dough to about 0.25 inch thick.
Cut into about 9 figures.
Place on the baking sheet.
Cooking time: 12 minutes @ Gas 3 (160ºC)
NOTE: The cooking time is crucial. One minute either way can mean the difference between too soggy and too crisp. What’s more, the best time depends on the oven. So, at first, check after 10 minutes, then every minute. The biscuits should be slightly browner at the edges, not as soft as when they started cooking, but definitely still soft on top. Good luck!
Cool for a couple of minutes, then loosen from the baking sheet.
When cold, store in an air-tight container.