1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

2. Put the flour, butter, ginger, cinnamon and bicarbonate of soda in a mixing bowl. Mix it all together with fingertips until crumbly. Add the sugar, syrop and egg and mix until it forms a firm pastry mix.

3. Using the rolling pin, roll out the pastry to about 5mm thick. Make sure the surface and rolling pin are well dusted with flour. Use gingerbread men cutters or simple biscuit cutters to cut out shapes.

4. Place the cut out pastry on a greased or a non-stick baking tray.

5. Bake in the preheated oven until golden, about 15 minutes. Check after 10 minutes. Gingerbread may be ready after 12 minutes in a fan assisted oven.

6. Let them rest for about 10 minutes.