Gingerbread Cookies

Ingredients
5 Cups plain flour
5 tsp ground ginger
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground cloves
1 tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda
1 cup soft butter
2/3 cup firmly packed soft brown sugar
2 x eggs
2/3 cup golden syrup

Icing
450g icing sugar
2 x egg whites

Method
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, spices, salt, and baking soda until well combined.
In a separate bowl, beat the butter and sugar together for 1–2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then reduce the speed. Mix in half of the dry ingredients and half of the syrup, scrape down the bowl, and add the remaining flour and syrup. Continue mixing until a dough forms. Divide the dough into two portions, wrap each in cling film, and chill for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days. When ready to bake, roll the dough between two sheets of baking paper to an even thickness of about 1cm. Reroll any offcuts to ensure no dough is wasted. Cut out desired shapes, place them on a lined baking tray, and bake at 160°C for 10–15 minutes, taking care not to overbake to avoid dryness. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Method Icing
Beat the icing sugar and egg white on low speed, adding water as needed to reach the desired consistency. Continue mixing until the icing forms a ribbon-like trail on the surface for 5 seconds when the beater is lifted. To create different colors, add a drop of food coloring before transferring the icing to piping bags. Decorate the cookies with the icing, allow them to set fully before storing them in containers.