Recipe taken from Australian Table magazine, December 2004.
Makes about 20
90g golden syrup
110g caster sugar
130g butter, chopped
1 egg yolk (reserve white for icing)
300g plain flour
3 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
(assorted sweets to decorate, such as glacé cherries, if you want to use more than just icing)
Preheat oven to 180C, grease or line two baking trays.
Add golden syrup and cook on 50C, for 30 seconds on sp.1.
Add caster sugar and mix for 10 seconds on sp.2.
Add butter and combine for 10 seconds on sp.3, then scrape down sides with spatula, and combine for further 60 seconds on sp.3.
Add egg yolk and mix for 60 seconds on sp.3.
Add flour, ground ginger and bicarbonate of soda and combine for 20 seconds on sp.4. Scrape sides with spatula then mix for further 40 seconds on sp.4.
Remove to lightly floured surface, a handful at a time. Knead briefly and roll out to 1/2 cm thick. Cut shapes with cookie cutters and place on tray with around 3cm between them. Bake for 10-15 mins, and cool on trays.
I don't usually get as far as the icing, as we all eat them too quickly! The icing recipe is:
Beat egg white until frothy, add 200g pure sifted icing sugar, 1 spoon at a time, beating well in between. When it reaches piping consistency, add a few drops of lemon juice, then colouring as desired.
The cookies rise a little because of the bicarb, but they sink a little too, so don't be too concerned while they're in the oven.
