Lyle's® Gingerbread Men

You will also need a 13cm (5”) gingerbread man cutter, 2 lightly greased baking trays and a piping bag fitted with a fine plain nozzle.

Put the flour, bicarbonate of soda and ginger into a mixing bowl. Rub the butter in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, then add the sugar. Make a well in the centre, stir in the egg and Lyle’s Golden Syrup® and mix with a wooden spoon to make a soft smooth dough.

Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°Fan, 375°F, Gas 5.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead to bring together. Roll out thinly to 5mm (¼”) and stamp out the gingerbread men with the cutter. Transfer to the baking trays with a palette knife, spaced slightly apart. Re-roll the remaining dough and stamp out more men until all the dough is used up.

Bake on the top and middles shelves of the oven for 10-12 minutes, swapping the trays over halfway through, until slightly darkened. Cool for a few minutes until firmed up then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the icing, lightly whisk the egg white in a mixing bowl and gradually sift over the Tate & Lyle® Icing Sugar. Mix well to make a good consistency for piping, rather like toothpaste. Add a few drops of colouring paste with a fine skewer and mix well. Spoon into the piping bag, ice the gingerbread men and leave the icing to harden for a few hours. Store in an airtight container.

Do ahead: Make up to 1 month ahead and freeze in a lidded container, or make up to 4 days ahead and store in a lidded container.

Recipe courtesy of Lyle's Golden Syrup®