Prue Leith’s Iced Ginger Biscuits

Step 1

Beat the butter, sugar and molasses in a bowl until fluffy. Little by little, add the egg, beating well between each addition. (You can do this in a stand mixer fitted with the beater attachment, if you like.)

Step 2

Sift together all the remaining ingredients into a bowl. Stir them into the butter mixture.

Step 3

Place the dough on 1 sheet of baking paper. Place the other sheet on top and press the dough to make a flat layer. Chill for 1 hour, until firm.

Step 4

Heat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/375°F/Gas 5.

Step 5

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough to 5mm thick. Use the cutters to make 6 square and 6 oval biscuits, re-rolling the trimmings as necessary. Place the biscuits on the baking sheets. Chill until firm.

Step 6

Bake in the middle of the oven for 8–12 minutes, or until the edges of the biscuits are lightly browned.  Cool for 1 minute, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 7

For the royal icing, mix the egg white with 3 tablespoons of the icing sugar in a large bowl and add the lemon juice.

Step 8

Gradually, add the remaining icing sugar and mix thoroughly until the icing holds its shape. Do not over-beat or bubbles will form.

Step 9

Divide the icing into 3 separate bowls. Leave 2 bowls white and divide the third bowl of icing between 4 small bowls for decorating the biscuits. Colour 1 portion blue, 1 yellow, 1 green and 1 red.

Step 10

Drop by drop, add water to the small portions of icing and mix to a piping consistency. Spoon these into the 4 small piping bags fitted with number 1 writing nozzles.

Step 11

Drop by drop add water to one of the bowls of white icing and mix to a piping consistency. Spoon into the medium piping bag fitted with a No. 1 writing nozzle.

Step 12

Add water drop by drop to the remaining bowl of white icing and mix to a flooding consistency. Spoon into the medium piping bag fitted with a No. 3 writing nozzle.

Step 13

Decorate the biscuits according to the templates provided, loosening or thickening the icings with water or icing sugar to the correct consistency.