Halloween Cookies

For the dough: beat together the golden syrup and egg yolk.

Sift the flour, baking powder, spices and salt into a mixing bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar. Add the egg yolk mixture and stem ginger and mix until starting to clump together.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently into a smooth ball. Flatten the dough into a disc, wrap in cling film and chill for 1 hour.

Heat the oven to 180°C (160° fan) 350°F gas 4. Line 2 baking trays with non-stick baking paper.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface about 3mm thick and cut out witches, owls, cats and leaves using card templates or cookie cutters. Put onto the baking trays and bake for 8—12 minutes until the cookies are golden. Cool on the baking tray for a few minutes, then place on a wire rack to cool completely.

For the icing: sift the icing sugar into a bowl and beat in just enough water to make a smooth thick icing.

Spoon 1–2 tablespoons icing into a small bowl and tint light orange with food colouring. Colour another 2- 3 tablespoons brown, 1/2 tablespoon icing yellow and 1/2 tablespoon light pink. Cover with cling film and set aside.

Colour about 2/3 of the remaining icing black. Spoon about 3 tablespoons into a piping bag and pipe the outlines on the witch biscuits. Sprinkle the sugar over the base of the biscuits. Leave to dry for 15 minutes

Thin the remaining black icing with a little water and spread inside the piped lines, leaving the face and broom plain. Leave to dry for 15 minutes.

Spread the remaining black icing over the cat biscuits. Leave to dry for 15 minutes.

Spread the light orange icing over the witches' faces and hands and leave to dry for 15 minutes.

Put the brown icing into a piping bag and pipe the witches' hair, mouth and broom details. Add a spot of black icing for the eyes.

Put the white icing into a piping bag and pipe the outlines, whiskers and tails on the cat biscuits. Pipe details on the owls and leaves as in the photo. Sprinkle the leaves with a little sugar.