Gingerbread

Step 1

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line oven trays with baking paper.

Step 2

Beat butter, sugar and egg yolk in small bowl with electric mixer until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl. In two batches, stir in sifted dry ingredients and syrup.

Step 3

On a lightly-floured surface, knead dough gently until smooth. Divide dough in half; roll each half between sheets of baking paper to 5mm thickness. Cut dough into 6 x 12cm girl shapes, 6 x 12cm boy shapes and 12 x 6cm flower shapes; place on trays 2.5cm apart. Bake about 10 minutes. Cool on trays.

Step 4

Meanwhile, make royal icing by beating egg white in small bowl with electric mixer; gradually beating in sifted icing sugar. When mixture reaches piping consistency, beat in juice. Divide icing between three bowls. Tint one bowl with yellow colouring and another with pink colouring; leave the remaining bowl plain.

Step 5

Using picture as a guide, pipe icing onto biscuits using the three different colours; sprinkle centres of flowers with pink sprinkles. Set at room temperature.