Winter Wonderland

Christmas Biscuit Tree (pictured above)

Makes 1 large tree
Prep: 1 hour 30 minutes, plus chilling and setting
Cook: 1 hour

Ingredients
1 x quantity Dark Gingerbread Dough (see right)

To decorate
2 x quantity of royal icing (you can make your own or buy ready-to-use icing)
 2 tbsp icing sugar, for dusting

Method
Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/ gas mark 3.

Line 2 or 3 large baking trays with silicone baking sheets or greaseproof paper. Using a ruler, draw and cut out a 20cm star onto firm paper or card. Then inside this star draw smaller stars decreasing by 2cm each time, your last star being 2cm.

Take a large piece of greaseproof paper and roll out the gingerbread on it, to 5mm.

Cut out three of the largest stars and using a palette knife transfer to the lined baking sheets. Place in freezer for 5 mins until hard then bake in the oven in batches for 6-10 mins, depending on the size, until golden brown at the edges. Leave to cool for 5 mins on the trays, then carefully transfer with a palette knife to wire racks to cool completely.

Trim the star template to the next size and cut out three dough stars, chill and bake as above decreasing baking time to 6-8 mins for medium stars and to 3-6 mins for the small stars. Repeat until you have baked three of each star.

Add a little water to the royal icing until you reach soft peak consistency. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a medium round nozzle and pipe around each of the stars. Add a little more water to the remaining icing to make flood icing, and spoon or pipe into the lines of each biscuit spreading to the edges. Leave for 30 mins to set, then stack the stars up starting with the largest and ending with the smallest on its edge. Dust with icing sugar.

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Gingerbread Syrup Makes 300ml

Prep: 10 minutes, plus cooling
Cook: 20-25 minutes


Ingredients
300g granulated sugar
1 tbsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp vanilla extract

Put 500ml water in a large, heavy-based saucepan with the sugar, spices and salt and bring to the boil. Watch carefully or the mixture may overflow.

Reduce to a rolling simmer and cook for 15-20 mins uncovered, or until the consistency of maple syrup. Remove from the heat and stir through the vanilla. Leave to cool completely. Transfer to a jar or bottle, seal with a lid and store in the fridge for up to 1 month. If your syrup crystallises over time, re-liquify in a bain marie.

Tip Add a dash to your latte, hot chocolate, pancakes, porridge or even cocktails!

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Apple & Gingerbread Streusel Tart

Makes 1 tart
Prep: 30 minutes, plus chilling
Cook: 40 minutes


½ x quantity of Dark Gingerbread Dough (see right)
2 (approx 360g) Bramley apples, peeled and cored
3 (approx 300g) medium eating apples, peeled and cored
juice of 1 unwaxed lemon
75g granulated sugar
75g soft light brown sugar
3 tbsp plain flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground allspice
½ tsp salt
75g sultanas
20g butter, cubed

For the streusel topping
40g plain flour
40g granulated sugar
½ tsp ground ginger
pinch of salt
60g cold butter, cut into small cubes
30g pecans, roughly chopped

Method
Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas mark 4. Cut a large piece of greaseproof paper and roll out the gingerbread on top of it to 5mm thick x 32cm diameter. Line a deep 23cm fluted pie dish with the dough. Press gently into the edges and trim any excess with a sharp knife. Reserve the trimmings. Place the tart case in the freezer to chill for 20 mins.

Meanwhile, cut the apples into 5mm thick slices, squeeze over the lemon juice, then toss in a large bowl with the sugars, flour, spices, salt and sultanas. Pile high into the chilled gingerbread case, then press down to fill the gaps. Dot with the butter and place on a baking tray to catch any spills. Bake for 20 mins on the middle shelf of the oven.

To make the streusel, mix the flour, sugar, ginger and salt until combined. Cut 50g of the reserved gingerbread dough into small chunks and add to the mix with the butter. Rub together with the tips of your fingers to form clumps. Stir through the pecans.

After tart has baked for 20 mins, sprinkle over the streusel and return to the oven to bake for a further 30 mins, or until the tart is golden and bubbling and the apples are tender when pierced with a sharp knife. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly before serving.

Gingerbread Wonderland, by Mima Sinclair; photography by Tara Fisher (Kyle Books, £8.99).