chai gingerbread

Makes 15-20.. think I made about 100 last night.

Ingredients
85 g Muscovado sugar (hmm don't have that but have some brown sticky stuff - will do)
2 tbsp golden syrup (put more than that in)
1 tbsp treacle (I like it better with more)
grated zest of 1/2 lemon and 1/2 orange (do at least a whole one!!)
1 tsp of ground ginger (more)
1 tsp of ground cinnamon (more)
pinch of all spice (tsp)
pinch of ground nutmeg (grate 2)
(my version - gently heat spoonful of loose Chai tea + some cloves, then use pestle and mortar to grind down)
95 g (Butter cut into cubes)
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda (strange stuff.. I don't mess with this measurement)
225g Plain Flour (I always need more, have some handy)

you'll need some cutters and if you feel a real fancy pants you can make holes with a skewer, attach ribbon and make them into decorations.
I can't be ar*ed.

Method
faff about for weeks getting stressed about work and your own projects, search 5 different shops for treacle then wait right till the last moment (22:30 on 21st December) before getting started. Acknowledge how crap you are at baking as you have neither patience, moderation or accept any subservience to the fascist recipe cult. You are a contrary domestic anarchist and / or terrible cook, or both... otherwise

1. grease baking sheets (or use greaseproof paper). Preheat oven to 180C / Gas Mak 4
2. In a large pan - heat sugar, syrup, treacle, zest, spices and tablespoon of water until it reaches boiling point.
3. remove from the heat, add butter and bicarbonate of soda (watch it go all bubbly)
4. Stir in the flour gradually until you have a manageable dough (i.e. until your arm drops off trying to move the spoon and you have to get your hands in there to swirl it around. Keep adding flour until hands no longer feel webbed and sticky.
5. roll out to 3mm / 1/8th in thick, cut into shapes with cutters, transfer to baking trays and leave some room for spreading (see above - this totally happens)
6. Cook for 10 mins (NO LATER, easily burns into a brick. Use middle shelf) then remove, leave to cool for a minute then transfer to a rack to cool (who does that?? I just left them out and put in the next batch)

long after midnight ice.. see tomorrow

Yes blippers I finally cheered the eff up and started to look forward to Christmas...