Proper Gingerbread Men

No shopping list for this one, just a recipe! The clocks have gone back, it's dark by five, and the house needs to smell like ginger. This is my go-to batch: crisp at the edges, a little bit chewy in the middle, and forgiving enough that you can make it with kids (or after a long day) without stressing. You don't need a stand mixer or anything clever. A big bowl, a rolling pin and a gingerbread man cutter is all it takes. No cutter? Cut round a cardboard template with a knife. They'll look homemade, which is the whole point. Makes about 20 depending on the size of your cutter. INGREDIENTS • 350g plain flour (plus a bit for dusting) • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda • 2 tsp ground ginger • 1 tsp ground cinnamon • 125g butter, cold and cubed • 175g light soft brown sugar • 1 egg • 4 tbsp golden syrup • Icing sugar, a squeeze of lemon juice or water, and a few currants or sweets to decorate METHOD 1. Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan / gas 4) and line two baking trays with baking paper. 2. Sift the flour, bicarb, ginger and cinnamon into a big bowl. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until it looks like breadcrumbs, then stir in the sugar. 3. Beat the egg and golden syrup together in a jug, pour into the bowl and mix until it comes together. Finish it off with your hands into one smooth dough. 4. Wrap it and chill for 15 minutes. Don't skip this, it makes rolling SO much easier. 5. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to about 5mm thick, cut out your men, and lay them on the trays with a bit of space between each one (they spread slightly). 6. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden. They'll still feel a bit soft but they firm up as they cool. 7. Leave on the tray for 10 minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating. TIPS • Re-roll the scraps once, maybe twice. After that the dough gets tough. • Mix the icing nice and thick so it pipes rather than runs. A sandwich bag with the corner snipped off works fine as a piping bag.