Gingerbread Men

Place the butter, golden syrup and sugar in a saucepan and stir over a medium heat. Once melted together, cool the mixture for 3-4 minutes

Mix together the spices, bicarbonate of soda and flour in a bowl. Add the melted mixture and the egg and stir to form a sticky dough. Wrap tightly in cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes

Preheat the oven to 200degC/180degC fan. Line two large baking sheets with baking parchment. Flour a clean work surface and roll out half the chilled dough to around 0.5cm thickness (working with half the dough at a time makes the job easier)

Using a large gingerbread man cutter, cut out as many shapes as possible. Gather up the scraps, roll again & repeat. Continue until all the dough is used up. You may have more gingerbread men than will fit on two trays, if so bake them in batches.

Bake in the pre-heated oven for around 7 - 8 minutes or until the biscuits are starting to brown at the edges. Remove from the oven, cool the biscuits on the tray for a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely

To make the icing, place the icing sugar, egg white and lemon juice in a bowl and mix together gently, then beat for around 2-3 minutes using an electric mixer, until stiff. Add a little water if the icing looks dry or crumbly. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a small round nozzle.

Pipe eyes, a smiling mouth, buttons etc onto the gingerbread men then finish with colourful sweets. Leave until the icing is set then store in an airtight container.

Makes around 12 gingerbread men.