CHRISTMAS SPICED BUTTER BISCUITS

Nothing gets you in the festive spirit like the warming smells of cinnamon and ginger spiced biscuits flowing through the house. One for all the family – get the kids involved in icing and decorating ready to hang on the tree or to give as Christmas gifts.

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Makes: 20 approx

Cooking time: 50 minutes, plus cooling time

• ½ tsp mixed spice
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 200g/1⅔ cups plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 75g/⅓ cup Ivy’s Reserve Farmhouse Butter, at room temperature
• 60g/⅓ cup soft light brown sugar
• 2 tbsp golden syrup
• 1 large egg, yolk only
• 150g/1½ cups icing sugar, sifted
• Natural food colouring, a variety of colours
• Mix of sprinkles and decorations for the biscuits

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F. Line two large baking trays with greaseproof paper.
2. Tip all the spices, bicarbonate of soda and plain flour into a bowl and whisk together to thoroughly combine.
3. Beat the butter and sugar in a stand mixer or with an electric whisk for 3-4 minutes, until light and creamy. Add the golden syrup and egg yolk and mix again to incorporate. Tip in the dry ingredients and mix to combine, bringing together to form a dough.
4. Shape the dough into a round disc on a lightly floured work surface. Roll out using a rolling pin until roughly 5mm/⅕ inch thick. Use a variety of star, snowflake or gingerbread-people cutters to stamp out the biscuits. If planning to hang as decorations, use the blunt end of a wooden skewer to create a hole at the top of biscuits.
5. Transfer to the baking trays, spacing the biscuits roughly 2cm/1 inch apart. You might have to do a couple of batches. Bake for 10-11 minutes until evenly baked and golden.
6. Remove from the oven and use the blunt end of a skewer again to press through any holes in the biscuits, in case they have closed up during cooking.
7. Leave to cool on the tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Tip the icing sugar into a bowl (or divide between a couple of bowls if making different coloured icing) and, whisking constantly, pour over just enough cold water until a smooth, thick icing forms. Add a few drops of food colouring now, if you like.
9. Transfer to a piping bag and start icing the cooled biscuits as you wish. Thread some ribbon or string through the holes and leave for the icing to dry for 30 minutes before hanging. Store in an airtight container.

TIP: You can make the biscuit dough up to 2 days before and store in the refrigerator before rolling and baking.