Method

• 1.
  Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Prepare gingerbread dough and roll until 3mm thick, then chill for 30 minutes or until firm.
• 2.
  To make the gingerbread dough, place flour, bicarb, ginger, sugar and butter in a food processor and whiz until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add egg and syrup, and whiz until mixture just comes together. Transfer to a work surface, shape into a rough ball, and enclose in plastic wrap. Chill for 1 hour, or until firm.
• 3.
  Dust dough with flour and roll between 2 sheets of baking paper until 3mm thick (you can divide dough in 2 to make it easier to work with). Chill for 30 minutes before cutting and baking.
• 4.
  For the royal icing, lightly whisk egg white and lime juice together in a bowl. Gradually add icing sugar, whisking until smooth and combined. Place in a piping bag with a 2mm opening and set aside.
• 5.
  Using gingerbread people cutters, cut out 16 cookies, re-rolling the dough as needed. (Freeze before removing the cut biscuits from the sheet of dough if too soft to handle.) Place on prepared trays (with a 2cm gap between each) and chill for 30 minutes, or until very firm.
• 6.
  In batches, bake for 10-12 minutes, until lightly golden. Stand on tray for 10 minutes to cool slightly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Decorate cooled gingerbread people with piped royal icing.