Mima Sinclair - Gingerbread Wonderland

FOR TOM

When your tummy rumbles at teatime,
its natures way of telling you to eat more biscuits.

I love baking. My knees go weak at the sight of a chewy biscuit or a light sponge. More icing goes in my mouth than makes it onto its intended counterpart. I blame my mum, she spoiled us with homemade biscuits and bakes after school. Coming home to a house still full of the heady scent of baked goods is something that doesnt leave you. Friends at school would always want to come to our house at the weekend because the kitchen wasnt banned, it was our playground.

So my love affair with sweet treats has grown up with me, its moulded me, its comforted me and the comfort I have felt has happily spread to others. Thats the joy of baking, people are thrilled by it. I like to feed those around me with all the sweet delights that I get so much excitement out of baking, and they eagerly receive them. I get just as much joy from sharing goodies as I do gobbling them all up myself!

This collection of recipes has something for everyones tastes and suits a variety of baking abilities. Packed with a range of classic and contemporary recipes, you have all you need to turn your kitchen into a gingerbread wonderland. Bake perfect treats to slip into lunch boxes, serve up to friends at tea, give as gifts or have as a festive centrepiece. Turn up at a party with a gingerbread house and you are sure to be at the top of everyones invite lists next year!

I hate recipes that need lots of complicated equipment and hard-to-source ingredients. The ingredients used in these recipes are basic and inexpensive, as are the little bits of equipment you will need along the way. Most of these things you will probably already have in your store cupboard, but please heed my advice in the dough tips about old spices. New cutters dont have to be bought use what you have or create your own from thick card, using my .

Follow my tips on dough, baking and piping to avoid mistakes and achieve your best-ever bakes. A word of advice dont sweat the small stuff. Who cares if your piping isnt straight, your gingerbread house is on the wonk or something didnt turn out exactly the way you meant it mine doesnt always and thats the magic of it being homemade. I guarantee your efforts will still be met with wide greedy eyes and you will soon enjoy the beautiful silence that only comes from a room of contented people whose mouths are full. Now get in the kitchen and have some fun!

This is a mild and sweet, light dough that is very versatile.

Makes 1kg - Prep: 10 minutes, plus 1 hour 15 minutes chilling - Cook: 5 minutes

140g light molasses/ golden syrup or honey

200g soft light brown sugar

200g unsalted butter

zest of 1 unwaxed lemon

4 teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

teaspoon ground nutmeg

teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

500g plain flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 lightly beaten medium free-range egg

Pour the light molasses 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.

Increase the heat to 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 leave to cool for 15 minutes.

Sift the flour and salt, then fold into the mixture in batches, using a wooden spoon or a stand mixer. Beat in the egg using a wooden spoon or a stand mixer, until just combined. Do not overwork the mixture, or the biscuits will spread during baking.

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 cling film and chill in the fridge for 1 hour.

A stronger, spicier dough and visually darker because of the use of dark molasses.

Makes 1kg - Prep: 10 minutes, plus 1 hour 15 minutes chilling - Cook: 5 minutes

80g dark molasses/ black treacle

60g light molasses/ golden syrup or honey

200g soft dark brown sugar

200g unsalted butter

zest of unwaxed orange

4 teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

teaspoon ground nutmeg

teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

500g plain flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 lightly beaten medium free-range egg

Pour the dark and light molasses 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.

Increase the heat to 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 leave to cool for 15 minutes.

Sift the flour and salt, then fold into the mixture in batches, using a wooden spoon or a stand mixer. Beat in the egg using a wooden spoon or stand mixer, until just combined. Do not overwork the mixture, or the biscuits will spread during baking.

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 cling film and chill in the fridge for 1 hour.

Tip

If using honey in either recipe then be aware that it can cause your dough to spread a little when baked.

No one should ever be deprived of baked goods. It is just not fair! Whether you are intolerant or allergic to certain produce all is not lost. There is a fantastic range of free from products available in most large supermarkets or health food stores. They taste great and will allow you to enjoy your sweet treats once again. Simply substitute the free from equivalent into the recipes in place of items you must avoid.