Gingerbread men

I couldn’t have a holiday baking series without gingerbread men!  They are practically a staple of the holidays.  You can use the same recipe to make gingerbread houses as well. 

Ingredients

125 grams unsalted butter
1/3 cup soft brown sugar
1/4 cup golden syrup
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 cups plain flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 tablespoon of currants

Icing:
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 1/4 cups icing sugar
assorted food coloring
1 egg white

Directions

1. Preheat oven to moderate 180c degrees.
2. Line 2 or 3 oven trays with baking paper.
3. Using electric beaters, beat butter, sugar, and syrup in a small mixing bowl until light and creamy.
4. Add egg gradually, beating thoroughly after each addition.
5. Transfer mixture into large bowl, sift dry ingredients onto well floured surface and knead for 1-2 minutes or until smooth.
6. Line a large chopping board with baking paper, roll out dough on board to 5mm thickness (flour rolling pin if necessary to prevent sticking), refrigerate on board for 15 minutes so dough is firm to cut.
7. Cut dough into shapes with a 13cm gingerbread man cutter.
8. Press remaining dough together and reroll. Cut out shapes. Place biscuits on prepared trays. Place currants as eyes and nose on men.
9. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool biscuits on trays.

Icing:

1. Place egg whites in small dry mixing bowl, using electric beaters beat egg whites until foamy. Add lemon juice and icing sugar gradually. Beat until thick and creamy.
2. Divide icing into several bowls. Tint mixtures with desired food colors.
3. Spoon mixture into small paper icing bags. Seal open ends. Snip tips off piping bags.
4. Pipe faces and clothing onto gingerbread men. When icing is completely dry, store in an airtight container in a cool dry place for up to 3 days.