German Lebkuchen Cookies

Ingredients

• 50g unsalted butter
• 60g (1/3 cup, lightly packed) brown sugar
• 60ml (1/4 cup) treacle
• 1 egg
• 265g (1 3/4 cups) plain flour
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• Large pinch of ground cloves
• Large pinch of ground nutmeg
• 1 egg white
• 230g (1 1/2 cups) pure icing sugar

Method

1. Place butter, sugar and treacle in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir for 3-5 minutes or until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. Set aside for 10 minutes to cool slightly. Transfer to a large bowl.
2. Add the egg to butter mixture and stir to combine. Sift in the flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Stir until well combined. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead until smooth. Shape into a disc. Cover with plastic wrap. Place in fridge for 1 hour to rest.
3. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line 2 baking trays with non-stick baking paper. Divide dough into 2 even portions. Roll out 1 portion on a lightly floured surface until 5mm thick. Use a 7cm star-shaped cutter to cut stars from the dough. Place on prepared trays. Bake for 5-7 minutes or until golden. Set aside on trays for 5 minutes to cool before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.
4. Place the egg white in a bowl. Use a fork to whisk until foamy. Sift over the icing sugar and stir until smooth. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a 2-3mm plain nozzle. Pipe onto biscuits to decorate. Set aside to set.

Notes

• 
  Cook's tip: To make biscuit decorations, use a skewer to make a hole in each biscuit before baking, then thread ribbon through when cool.