Ingredients

180g butter

125g brown sugar

300g treacle or golden syrup (Margaret we use 150g treacle and 150g golden syrup)

500g plain flour

¼ tsp salt

1tbsp ground ginger

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

Extra flour for rolling

Method

Preheat oven to 170 C. Melt butter in a large pan over a low heat then add the sugar and syrup, remove from the heat and stir. Add the sifted dry ingredients and mix until blended to a thick dough. Tip the dough out onto a floured board; knead with flour gently before pushing into a gingerbread house mould. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes. Remove from fridge and cook for 15 – 20 minutes, and remove from oven. Allow to cool and harden before transferring to a cooling rack.

To assemble:

2 egg whites

500g icing sugar

Pinch of cream of tartar

Whisk the egg whites until stiff and blend in the icing sugar and cream of tartar. Put the mixture in a piping bag and use this to glue the gingerbread house together. Whilst the icing is still wet decorate with choice of sweets.