Makes 25
Preparation time 40 minutes, plus cooling
Cooking time 15–17 minutes
75 g (3 oz) unsalted butter
4 tablespoons golden syrup
100 g (3½ oz) caster sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
large pinch of ground allspice
300 g (10 oz) plain flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda about
3 tablespoons milk
125 g (4 oz) white writing icing
a few edible coloured balls (optional)
Put the butter, syrup and sugar into a saucepan and heat gently, stirring occasionally, until the butter has melted and the sugar dissolved. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the spices. Mix together the flour and bicarbonate of soda and then beat into the spicy butter mixture, adding enough milk to make a smooth dough.
Turn out the dough on to a board and leave it for 5–10 minutes until it is cool enough to handle. Knead well, then roll out on a lightly floured surface or a piece of nonstick baking paper.
Cut out Christmas shapes using star, tree, stocking, bell or any other festive cutters. Re-roll the trimmings and cut out more shapes. Transfer the shapes to lightly greased baking sheets.
Make a hole in the top of each biscuit with the end of a skewer or a teaspoon handle and bake in a preheated oven, 180°C (350°F), Gas Mark 4, for 10–12 minutes until browned. Enlarge the hole for ribbon if needed. Allow to cool on the baking sheets.
Pipe the icing on to the biscuits, add the coloured balls, if using, and allow to harden. Thread fine ribbons through the holes on the biscuits and tie on to the Christmas tree.
For children’s tree cookies, make the biscuit dough, cut out tree shapes (omitting the holes) and bake as above. When cool, decorate the tree biscuits using different coloured writing icing to represent tinsel and mini candy-coated chocolate drops as baubles.