Spiced gingerbread biscuits

Step 1

Place butter, brown sugar and golden syrup in a medium saucepan; stir over low heat until butter melts and mixture is combined. Remove from heat; cool for 10 minutes.

Step 2

Meanwhile, sift dry ingredients into a medium bowl. Add egg to butter mixture; whisk to combine. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and stir to form a soft dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight until firm.

Step 3

Bring dough to room temperature. Line two large oven trays with baking paper. Roll out dough on a lightly floured piece of baking paper until 4mm-thick. Using a floured 5.5cm round pastry cutter, cut out rounds, re-rolling dough off cuts until all dough is used. Place gingerbread on prepared trays; freezer for 10 minutes.

Step 4

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Bake for 12 minutes or until a biscuit can be pushed gently without breaking. Cool on trays.

Step 5

ROYAL ICING: Whisk egg white in a small bowl with a whisk until frothy, then gradually stir in icing sugar. Add 1-2 teaspoons lemon juice to thin. Place gold lustre dust in a tiny dish and stir in ½ teaspoon lemon juice.

Step 6

To decorate gingerbread, top with a teaspoonful of icing, using an offset spatula and rotating the biscuit, push the icing smoothly to the edge, leaving a small border. Tap biscuit gently on a work surface to level icing; set aside until set. Using a small paint brush, dip it in the gold ‘paint’ and decorate as desired, using our image for inspiration.