Gingerbread men

I should have been a pro at this. I’d watched my children make umpteen gingerbread men and decorate them, and I knew they’d love some under the tree which Santa had made himself.

The fun bit came once the gingerbread men had cooled – decorating time – and there were plenty of Smarties, jellies and edible eyes to play with.

They will love waking up to these on Christmas morning.

Taste 10/10 Difficulty 5/10

■ 75g butter

■ 3 1/2tbsp golden syrup

■ 60g light soft brown sugar

■ 175g plain flour

■ 1/2tsp bicarbonate of soda

■ 2tsp ground ginger

1 Add the butter, syrup and sugar to a pan. Stir on a low heat until the sugar has dissolved 2 Add the flour, bicarb and ginger to a mixing bowl, and then stir together. Make a well in the centre and pour in the sugar and butter mixture

3 Stir together to form a dough (easiest to use hands)

4 Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes

5 Lay the dough between two sheets of baking parchment. Press slightly with a rolling pin. Give a quarter turn, then repeat 6 Roll backwards and forwards, giving regular quarter turns, until dough is the thickness of a £1 coin

7 Using a biscuit cutter, cut out the shapes. Bake at 190C, 170C fan/gas mark 5, for 10-12 minutes, until lightly golden brown

8 Cool and decorate