Christmas gingerbread penguins

• golden syrup↗75g g
• orange juice↗30ml ml
• muscovado sugar↗100g g
• ground ginger↗1 tbsp tbsp
• ground cinnamon↗½ tbsp tbsp
• vanilla bean paste↗1 tsp tsp
• butter↗100g g

  cut into cubes

• baking soda↗1 tsp tsp
• plain flour↗240g g
• apricot jam↗

  for gluing

• black fondant↗500-600g g

  or sugar paste

• icing sugar↗

  for rolling out

• white fondant↗300g g

  or sugar paste

• orange or yellow fondant or sugar paste20g g

  (or colour the white yourself)

• red food colouring↗

  and powder (optional)

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Combine golden syrup, orange juice, sugar, spices and vanilla paste in a saucepan. Heat, stirring regularly, over medium‑low heat until all the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes together — do not let it boil. Add the butter and stir until it melts and incorporates into the hot sugar mixture.

2. 2

   Add the baking soda and whisk until the mixture becomes fluffy and pale. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Let it cool slightly, then add the flour and beat on low speed or stir with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together and looks oily — it should be sticky, soft and fluid, but will firm up when cooled.

3. 3

   Using a spatula, spread the dough onto two large sheets of plastic wrap arranged in a cross shape, one on top of the other. Wrap to seal and chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours or overnight. The dough can be prepared ahead and frozen for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then leave at room temperature for 1 hour before shaping to a soft consistency.

4. 4

   Preheat the oven to 180/160 °C with fan/gas 4 and line several trays with parchment paper. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about ¾ cm thickness. Using a round cutter 6‑7 cm in diameter, cut small circles and place them on the tray, leaving 1 cm space between them. Bake 12‑15 minutes until they darken and become firm. Transfer to a rack to cool.

5. 5

   Heat 1 tbsp apricot jam with a little water until it boils. Spread each biscuit with jam to help adhesion. Roll out the black fondant with a little icing sugar to about 2 mm thickness. Use the same round cutter to cut small black circles and attach them to the biscuits. From excess fondant shape two small wings for each biscuit (save some for the eyes). Form 28 small balls, cut them in half and press the halves to the sides of each biscuit, creating wings.

6. 6

   For the chest and face details, roll out the white fondant to a similar thickness as the black. Cut a smaller circle, then stretch the top with fingers to form the face shape. Shape the belly by pinching the fondant where the face meets the belly. Attach the white fondant to the black with a little water.

7. 7

   For the beak, shape small pieces of orange fondant into triangles. To make the feet, shape fondant into drop shapes (two per biscuit), press slightly to flatten, and make two indentations to create a fin effect. Attach them to the biscuit with a drop of water; place the beak at the bottom of the face, and the feet under the white fondant.

8. 8

   For the face, make two small circles for each biscuit — either with a tiny dot cutter or by shaping flat discs — and attach them to the face. Add a small white ball to each black circle for eye sparkle. Optionally add a bow using a small brush dipped in food colouring, and rosy cheeks with a touch of red powder brushed under each eye. Let set overnight, then package as a gift or serve.