The Best Gingerbread Men

Ingredients

• 350 gr. all-purpose flour
• 3 tsp ground ginger
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves I like it with 1/2 also, which makes it a little bit more spicy
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/4 tsp Ground nutmeg
• a generous pinch of salt
• a scrunch of black pepper
• 130 gr. brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 4 tbsp golden syrup
• 1 tsp baking soda
• For the ginger vanilla royal icing
• 1 1/2 egg whites
• 220 gr. powdered sugar
• a pinch of salt
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp white vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 355 F.
2. Sift together the flour, baking soda, spices, salt and pepper into food mixer. Add cold and cubed butter and pulse until the mix looks like breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and keep pulsing.
3. Lightly beat the egg and golden syrup together, add to dry mix and pulse until it comes together. Transfer the dough onto a pastry board, knead until smooth and chill in the fridge for 15 minutes, wrapped.
4. Roll the dough out to /¼in thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut out the gingerbread men and transfer to baking tray. leaving enough space between them. Cool in the fridge for 5 minutes before baking, the will help keeping the shape.
5. Bake for 12-15 minutes; I like them nice and crisp, nicely cooked, not white.
6. When they are ready, take out of the oven, leave them on the tray for a few minutes and then cool on a rack while you prepare the icing.
7. To prepare the icing, separate the yolks from the white and in a food mixer, start beating the whites at low speed as if to make meringue. When they begin to foam, increase the speed and add ginger and vanilla. Now, add the sugar one tablespoon at the time, do not rush.
8. Beat to stiff peaks, beautiful and shiny. Then transfer to a pastry bag.
9. Decorate the cookies and enjoy the very best gingerbread men.