Gingerbread Reindeer Cookies

Ingredients:

Cookies: 

4 oz Westgold butter
8.10 oz brown sugar
2T golden syrup
1 egg
2c flour
1/2t baking soda
2t ginger

M&Ms and melted chocolate (for decorating)

Icing:

1 egg white
2t water
2c icing sugar
Few drops caramel colouring

Method:

Cookies: 

Preheat oven to 302 deg F. Using an electric mixer, cream butter, sugar and golden syrup. Add the egg and beat again. Add dry ingredients and mix until a soft dough. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate 20 mins. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface and cut out desired shapes. Place onto baking paper and cook 15-20 mins until golden and crisp. Leave to cool.

Icing:

Mix the egg white and water together in a bowl. Add 3/4 of the icing sugar (hold a little back to see how the consistency is) and stir with a fork.  Add a few drops of colouring.  Whisk with an electric beater for 30 seconds to make a thick and creamy looking icing.  The icing needs to be the right consistency to hold on the biscuit and not run off, but not too thick as to not flatten smoothly.  The best way to test the consistency is to spoon a circle of icing onto a spare biscuit (or bought biscuit) and leave it for a few minutes to see whether it stays or runs. Adjust the consistency by adding a few drops of water or adding a little more icing sugar.  Spoon the icing into a piping bag and pipe on the face outline. Add the M&M nose before the icing sets.  Use melted chocolate to pipe on the eyes, ears and antlers.  Leave to set.  Any leftover icing will keep in an airtight container in the fridge.