Perfect gingerbread biscuits

Makes about 30 biscuits depending on size

• 340g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 1.5 tsp grated nutmeg
• 1.5 tsp ground cloves
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 tsp ground ginger
• 225g unsalted butter
• 340g soft brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 75g crystallised ginger
• 225g icing sugar
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Step 1
Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and spices together into a mixing bowl.

Step 2
Beat together the butter and sugar, and then add the egg, beating it in gradually, so the mixture doesn't curdle.

Step 3
Stir into the flour to make a dough, and then mix in the crystallised ginger.

Step 4
Put the dough between two sheets of clingfilm, and roll out to the thickness of a £1 coin.

Step 5
Refrigerate for half an hour.

Step 6
Pre-heat the oven to 180C.

Step 7
Cut out the biscuits, and put on a greased baking tray.

Step 8
Cook for about 10 minutes, and, when straight out of the oven, poke a hole in each and allow to cool on a rack before threading a ribbon through.

Step 9
Decorate with writing icing, or sift the icing sugar, and then mix to a stiff consistency with boiling water.

Step 10
Brush over the cooled biscuits, and decorate with hundreds and thousands while still wet.