Jane Asher's gingernuts

Ingredients

• 50g butter 
• 125g golden syrup 
• 50g dark soft brown sugar 
• 175g self-raising flour 
• 1 tsp cinnamon 
• 2 tsps ground ginger

Method

• Pre-heat the oven to 175°C (160°C fan assisted, 350°F, gas mark 4). Grease a large baking tray.
• In a small saucepan, melt together the butter, syrup and sugar, stirring.
• Place the flour, together with the spices, in a large mixing bowl.
• Pour the melted sugar/butter mix into the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until it comes together as a dough.
• Divide the dough into 24 small pieces (or 12 for large biscuits) and roll each into a ball. Place on the tray and flatten each very slightly with your finger (they will spread more in the oven).
• Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until starting to brown, then remove from the oven and allow to cool for a couple of minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely. (They will harden once cold.)

Best served just as they are – crisp, spicy and warming. But you could always glaze them with a little white icing and gold leaf, if you fancied making them that little bit special.

From Beautiful Baking, published by Simon & Schuster Ltd.