(Recipe adapted from Good Housekeeping and given by Sally 2 Hats – food blogger in Dubai)
Ingredients:
350 g (12 oz) plain white flour
5 ml (1 tsp) bicarbonate of soda
10 ml (2 tsp) ground ginger
110g (4 oz) butter or block margarine
175 g (6 oz) soft light brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
60 ml (4 tbsp) golden syrup
Currants, to decorate
1. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and ginger into a bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in the sugar and make a well in the centre.
2. In another bowl, beat the syrup and egg together.
3. Pour the syrup mixture into the well and mix to a fairly firm dough; knead until smooth.
4. Divide in half and roll out, one half at a time, on a lightly floured surface to a 5 mm (1/4 inch) thickness. Using a gingerbread man cutter, cut out figures and place them on lightly greased baking sheets. Add currants to represent eyes and buttons. Bake at 190 C (375 F) Mark 5 for 12-15 minutes, until golden.
5. Leave on the baking sheets for 1 minute, then carefully transfer to a wirerack to cool.
Sally’s note: I do the “rubbing in” in the food processor, add the syrup and egg straight into this and blitz again. If feeling really lazy then swap to the dough hook for kneading. If you have a KitchenAid just do it all with the paddle setting. Dough will rest in the fridge in clung film for ages. Do not overcook – light golden – any browner they taste burnt. Careful – children often roll dough too thin. Use any cutter shape.
