52 weeks of little helps

Joyous gingerbread

Pour 100g of golden syrup into a large saucepan with 150g of dark brown sugar, 150g of salted butter, zest of 1 lemon, 1 tablespoon of ground ginger, and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon.
Melt over a low-medium heat, stirring frequently for 5 mins until the sugar has dissolved. Increase the heat and bring the mixture to the boil. Remove from the heat and beat in 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda – the mixture will froth up as the bicarbonate reacts. Mix briefly until combined, then leave to cool for 15 mins.
Beat in 1 medium free range egg until just combined, then fold in 375g of plain flour. Do not overwork the mixture – mix only until just combined or the biscuits will spread during baking.
The dough will be sticky to begin with but do not add any more flour. Scrape out of the bowl onto a clean surface and knead together until just smooth. Wrap in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
Heat the oven to gas 4, 180°C, fan 160°C. On a lightly dusted surface, roll out the dough to 5mm. Using gingerbread cutters, cut out shapes and place on baking trays lined with baking paper, leaving space for them to spread a little.
Bake in the oven in batches for 10 mins until golden brown at the edges. Leave to cool for 5 mins on the trays, then carefully transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Make the royal icing per pack instructions, fill a small piping bag with the icing. Cut a small hole in the top of the bag and decorate the gingerbread shapes. Allow to set for 30 minutes. Then share and enjoy!