Gingerbread folk

Serves:

Ingredients

• 125g butter
• half a cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• half a cup golden syrup
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 and a half cups plain flour
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice
• writing icings and smarties, to decorate

Method

Preheat oven to 180C and line baking trays with non-stick baking paper. Using a stand mixer or hand held electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in golden syrup and egg yolk, then stir in sifted flour, ginger, mixed spice and bicarb in two batches. Knead mixture on lightly floured surface until smooth, cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Roll the dough between two sheets of baking paper until 5mm thick. Cut out folk and place 3cm apart on prepared baking trays. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

Notes:

• I usually divide the dough into 2-3 pieces to make it easier to roll; this also caters for more than 1 child clamouring in the kitchen to help. We have collected different cutters  ginger mum, dad, child and mega-man the kids like to make families.
• Very important not to walk away from the kitchen, it is very easy to burn ginger folk!
• These are a great idea for holiday cooking with the kids. They love the rolling and shape cutting and the anticipation of decorating.
• I keep the folk in an airtight container and when snack time comes around, arm the kids with writing icing (from the baking section at the supermarket) and smarties and they are amused for a good 30 minutes!

Serving Suggestions

Note