Pies, Puddings and Pottages

Grease the baking sheets with butter.

Sift the flour into the large mixing bowl, add the butter and rub in until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Add the sugar and ginger and stir in well.

Heat the golden syrup in the saucepan to loosen it and then pour it into the mix and stir well to create a soft dough.

Place the dough in its bowl in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Form the dough into a large ball and place on a lightly floured work surface.

Roll out to about 1cm thick and cut out rounds with the 6mm pastry cutter.

Place on the baking sheets allowing enough space for the gingerbread to expand - the biscuits spread out quite a bit, not unlike a brandy snap.

Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and quickly use the 8cm metal cutter to press down on the biscuits to neaten the edges. You need to do this when they are still soft as if you wait until they’ve hardened you risk cracking the biscuit. It’s fine to leave them without trimming them but as they are likely to spread into each other they will be of odd and uneven shapes and sizes.

Once the biscuits have cooled a little and hardened, use the spatula to transfer them to the cooling rack. Cool for 30 minutes before serving.