Gingerbread Animals

These snappy cookies in animal shapes are always popular at birthday parties and on picnics. Little children in particular will love helping to make and ice them. Get them involved as a family activity.

Ingredients: (Makes 14)

175 g/6oz/1½ cups self-rising (self-raising) flour

2.5ml/½ teaspoon baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)

2.5ml/½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

10ml/2 teaspoons superfine (caster) sugar

50g/2oz/¼ cup butter

45ml/3 tablespoons light corn (golden) syrup

50g/2oz/½ cup confectioners' (icing) sugar

5-10ml/1-2 teaspoons water

Method:

Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas 5. Lightly oil two large baking sheets Put the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and superfine sugar in a bowl and mix together. Place the butter and syrup in a pan and melt over a low heat, stirring occasionally. Pour over the dry ingredients.

Mix together well with a wooden spoon and then use your hands to pull the mixture together to make a smooth dough. Turn the mixture out on to a lightly floured surface and roll out to about 5mm/¼ inch thick.

Use lightly-floured animal cutters to stamp out shapes from the cookie dough. Arrange them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving enough room between the cookies to allow space for them to rise. Press the trimmings back into a ball, roll it out again and stamp out more animal shapes. Continue until all the dough has been used. Bake the cookies for 8-12 minutes, until lightly browned.

Leave on the baking sheets to cool slightly, before carefully transferring to a wire rack with a palette knife or metal spatula to cool completely. Sift the icing sugar into a small bowl and add enough water to make a fairly soft icing, stirring well to mix smoothly. Spoon the icing into a piping (pastry) bag fitted with a small, plain nozzle and pipe decorations on the cookies. Leave to set before serving.

Happy Baking,

Carol