Ingredients

Step by step

1. Pour the golden syrup into a large saucepan with the sugar, butter, zest and spices and melt over a low-medium heat, stirring frequently until the sugar has dissolved.

2. Bring the mixture to boiling point. Remove from the heat and beat in the bicarbonate of soda. The mixture will froth up at this point as the bicarbonate reacts – mix briefly until combined, then tip into a mixing bowl and leave to cool for 15 minutes.
3. Sift the flour and ½ teaspoon salt together, then fold into the mixture in batches, using a wooden spoon or a stand mixer. Beat in the egg until just combined. Do not overwork the mixture, or the biscuits will spread during baking.
4. The dough will be very sticky to begin with, but do not add any flour. Scrape out of the bowl onto a clean surface and knead together until just smooth. Wrap in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
5. Preheat the oven to 160°C, fan 140°C, gas 3, and line 2 large baking trays with baking paper.
6. Print out the templates which can be found HERE then stick onto cardboard and cut out.
7. Cut 2 large pieces of baking paper and roll out the gingerbread dough between them to 5mm thick. Peel off the top sheet of paper and, using the templates, cut out the house pieces. For each house you need 1 chimney, 2 roof panels, 2 side panels, and 2 front and back panels. Place on a lined baking tray. You will need to reroll the dough a couple of times to cut them all out. Place in the freezer for 5 minutes until hard. You need to cut out these pieces for each of the six houses.
8. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown at the edges. Use the flat edge of a sharp knife to straighten any edges that have spread during baking. Leave to cool for 5 minutes on the trays, then use a palette knife to transfer them to wire racks to cool.
9. Make up the royal icing with 40ml water as directed on the pack until you reach soft-peak consistency. Spoon some of the icing into a piping bag fitted with a fine nozzle. Pipe along the outside edges of the side panels and stick to the front and back panels. Pipe extra icing where the walls join each other on the inside of the house to create some support.
10. Pipe icing onto the top edges of the side panels and front/back panels where the roof pieces will be placed. Stick on the roofs and hold for a minute until the icing starts to set, then stick on the chimneys, with the angled side against the roof.
11. Use the remaining icing to decorate. Cover some of the roofs with icing and sprinkle over decorations. Use a cocktail stick to help create icicles. Leave to set for at least 2 hours or overnight.
    
    You will need to print off these gingerbread templates.