Scary gingerbread men

Ingredients

• 350g plain flour plus extra for rolling out 
• 1 level tsp bicarbonate of soda 
• 2 level tsp ground ginger 
• 1 level tsp ground mixed spice 
• 125g butter 
• 175g light soft brown sugar 
• 1 medium egg 
• 4 tbsp golden syrup Sainsbury's Ready to Roll Icing (white) 
• Sainsbury's Colour Writing Icing 76g

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/ Gas 4.

Line two baking trays with baking paper. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, ginger and cinnamon into a large bowl. Rub in the butter and then stir in the sugar

Lightly beat the egg and golden syrup together. Add to the flour and mix to make a dough. Chill the dough for 15 minutes

Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of ½ cm thick. Cut shapes out with gingerbread cutters, remembering to take off a few limbs and head for added gore (if making gingerbread men lollies, insert lollies sticks carefully about half way into the gingerbread men.)

Place on a baking tray, leaving a gap between them in case they spread a little.

Bake for about 15 minutes. Leave on the tray for 10 minutes then move to a wire rack to finish cooling

When cool, let your imagination run wild!

Use the red writing icing along the edges of the missing limbs and heads as blood.

For the skeletons and mummies – either pipe with white writing icing or roll out the ready to roll icing to 3mm thickness and cut shapes slightly smaller than the gingerbread.

Lightly brush the gingerbread with boiled water and carefully place the icing on top. Using the black writing icing decorate as a skeleton or mummy!

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