Gingerbread with Lime icing

Happy Christmas eve to everyone, gosh where has December gone?! Throughout the year I have loved ginger-nut biscuits but as Christmas approaches gingerbread men are essential to bake in the festive season. This recipe is not only quick and easy, but perfect to bake the day before Christmas just in case you don't have enough sweet treats.... which I doubt is the case! 

Onto the recipe ginger bread...- Makes around 15

• unsalted butter - 150g
• brown sugar - 120g
• 5 tbsp of golden syrup
• 1 tbsp honey
• plain flour - 400g
• 1  tsp of bicarbonate of soda
• 3 tsp of ground ginger

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C. / Gas Mark 4
2.Then melt the butter, sugar and syrup in a pan until smooth and the sugar has dissolved. 
3.Take off the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. 
4.Now beat in the sieved flour, bicarb and ginger until a dough forms. 
5.Allow it to cool until it’s okay to handle. 
6.Dust a work surface with flour and roll the dough out to a thickness of 1cm.

Note:  It doesn't matter if it's crumbly because that's what gives it the gingerbread texture once cooked.
7.Cut out whatever shapes you want and arrange on a non-stick baking tray. 
8.Then bake for 10 / 15 minutes depending on the size, then remove from the oven. 

Onto the Lime icing

• 1 Lime - zest and juice
• 200g icing sugar
• 50ml of water

I find that lime and ginger are a perfect combination; especially in this icing!

1. Add 200g of icing sugar to a bowl

2. Grate the zest of one lime and add it to the bowl

3. Add the juice of one lime to the bowl as well

4. Stir together and then add around 50ml of water to the mixture but add it around 10ml at a time to check the consistency - it should be thick and not extremely runny.

5. Place into a piping bag and decorate your gingerbread!

There you have it, easy gingerbread men - perfect for the holidays!

- I also placed them on two circular pieces of card and covered it in tin foil to make gifts for my neighbours and family friends and also iced their initials. 

Enjoy and have a Merry Christmas xx