GINGERNUT ICE-CREAM SANDWICHES

Makes about 24

225g (1½ cups) plain flour

1 tsp ground ginger

½ tsp ground allspice

½ tsp ground cinnamon

125g salted butter

100g (½ cup) soft brown sugar

175g (½ cup) golden syrup

1 tsp finely grated ginger

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 egg, beaten

Vanilla ice-cream, to serve Caramel sauce

220g (1 cup) caster sugar

125ml (½ cup) thick (double) cream 25g butter

2 tbsp orange juice (or bourbon if

catering for adults)

1 First, make gingernuts. Sift flour, ground ginger, allspice and cinnamon into a mixing bowl. In a small heavy-based saucepan over low-medium heat, melt butter, sugar, syrup and grated ginger until it bubbles; remove from heat and sprinkle in bicarb of soda. Pour foamy liquid into dry ingredients and stir, adding egg to bind. When dough is smooth, cool to room temperature.

2 Preheat oven to 200˚C (180˚C fan).

Line two baking trays with baking paper.

3 Take teaspoonfuls of dough and roll into balls; space evenly on trays. Bake each batch for 8-10 mins or until dark goldenbrown. Remove and cool on wire rack.

4 Place sugar in heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Heat until melted and deep caramel in colour; pour in cream and keep stirring. When smooth, add butter and juice. Cool; pour into jar and refrigerate.

5 To serve, squish a good scoop of ice-cream on a gingernut and drizzle with caramel sauce before applying its gingernut lid.