Gingerbread

1. Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/gas mark 3.

2. Line enough baking trays for the amount of biscuits you want to bake with greaseproof paper. 

3. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt and ground ginger into the bowl of a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until the mix resembles breadcrumbs.

4. Add the sugar, pulse again, and add the syrups, glace ginger and egg. Blitz briefly until the mixture comes together and forms a smooth dough. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and leave to rest in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.

5. Roll the dough out to half a centimetre thickness on a lightly floured surface. Use cutters to cut the gingerbread into shapes and place on the baking trays, leaving a gap between each one. You can re-roll the trim after giving it a quick knead.

6. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.

7. Cool on a wire rack. When cool, decorate with the icing (recipe below) and extra chopped, stem ginger.

For the icing:

1. In a small bowl, stir together the icing sugar and juice. Beat in the syrup until the icing is smooth and glossy.
2. Tip into a small piping bag or a plastic bag with the corner cut off for decorative icing, or simply dip the biscuit ends in the icing to coat the tops of your trees.