40 Cookies

Ingredients

For the cookies:

• 150g butter, softened
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1.4 cup golden syrup
• 1 egg yolk (use the egg white for the icing)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 Tbsp boiling water
• 2 1/2 cups plain flour
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp fround, dried horopito

For the Royal Icing: 

• 1 egg white
• 2 cups icing sugar
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice

Method

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy with an electic hand mixer

Add the golden syrup, egg yolk and the baking soda dissoled in the boiling water, and beat for a further 30 seconds until mixed thoroughly. Sift in the flour, mixed spice and ground ginger, add the horopito and gently mix to combine. Turn out onto a floured bench and kneaed together into a smooth ball.

Divide dough into two portions, flatten slightly so that is easier to roll out later. Cover or wrap in baking paper and put in the fridge for 30 minutes.

When you are ready to make the cookies, heat oven to 160C and line two baking trays with baking paper. Remove the dough from fridge and roll out each portion between two sheets of baking paper until about 5mmm thick. Use a little flour if necessary to prevent sticking. Cut into shapes using cooking cutters and place onto the trays allowing a little space for the cookies to spread. Bake for 10-15 minutes until just starting to brown. remove from over and allow to cook on the trays. Prepare royal icing by beating egg white with an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy, then add icing sugar and lemon juice and beat on high for a further 5 minutes or until thick and glossy. when cookies are cool, spoon incing into a piping bag wiht a small round nozzle and pipe decorations and designs to your heart's content. Allow the icing to set before serving.

Recipe by Christall Lowe from her cookbook Kai - available to purchase here