Ginger Christmas biscuits are easy for children to make and perfect for hanging on the Christmas tree.

Ingredients

• 250 grams butter
• 1 cup caster sugar
• ¼ cup golden syrup
• 1 tablespoon liquid honey
• 70 gram packet flaked almonds
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon water
• 3 cups flour

To decorate

• lightly beaten egg white
• extra flaked almonds
• golden cashews

Method

1. Put the first seven ingredients into a saucepan and stir gently over a moderate heat until the butter has melted. Bring to the boil and then remove from the heat. Dissolve the baking soda in the water and stir into the butter mixture.
2. Sift the flour into a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour in the butter mixture and using a wooden spoon, mix to a stiff dough. Wrap and refrigerate for two hours until firm.
3. Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead lightly. Roll out to 0.5cm thick. Cut out Christmas patterns with biscuit cutters. Transfer the biscuits to a baking tray. Decorate if wished. Brush the edges of the biscuits with beaten egg white and arrange almonds or golden cashews. The egg whites act as a glue.
4. Bake the biscuits at 180ºC for 15 minutes ntil they are nicely browned. Remove from the oven and leave on the tray for a few minutes before transferring to a cake rack to cool. The shapes will crisp as they cool. Store in an airtight container.