GINGERBREAD BISCUITS

When I tried to make gingerbread men a couple of years ago as Christmas gifts it was a complete disaster. I used a standard recipe, just replacing the flour with a pre-mixed gluten free flour - but it didn't work as planned. The biscuits cracked and various arms, legs and heads fell! Unable to give my amputee gingerbread men as gifts I had to resort to making little bags of mixed lollies with a gift tag attached. This year I have worked on a 'sturdier' recipe creating a crunchy gingerbread biscuit that doesn't break. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS
100g butter
1/3C brown sugar
1 egg
1/3C golden syrup
1C rice flour
1C tapioca flour
1/2t Xanthan gum
2t ginger (more if you love it really 'gingery')
1t cinnamon
1/2t nutmeg
1/4t bi-card soda
pinch salt

METHOD
1. Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add syrup and egg and beat until mixed.
2. In a separate bowl mix all the dry ingredients together, then gradually sift the dry ingredients into the butter mix, mixing up with a spoon. Near the end it may get too hard to use a spoon, so get your hands dirty and knead it together.
3. Cover with cling wrap and place in the fridge until cooled (should take less than an hour).
4. Divide the mixture in half, place one portion of the mix between 2 sheets of non-stick baking paper and use a rolling pin to roll the mixture out to a few millimeters thick. Repeat with remaining half. Place both rolled out pieces, still in between the sheets of baking paper, into the fridge to cool for about 20 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 180ºC. Line 2 baking trays with non-stick baking paper. Using a cookie cutter in what ever shape you like, dip the cutter in some rice flour, then press into the biscuit mix. Place the shapes onto the baking trays with a little space in between.
5. Bake for 10-15 minutes, being careful to not overcook (as they will become too dry).

The mix will make about 24 biscuits - depending on the size of your cookie cutter. Wrap them up in bundles with some cellophane and ribbon for a cute Christmas gift, or just keep them for yourself or for when guests come over!