Martha Collison with children around a table baking

#FollowTheStar stained glass gingerbread baubles

Baking with Martha Collison

Why not try this special recipe for stained glass gingerbread baubles, created by Martha Collison. You can hang these beautiful biscuits on your Christmas tree – if you can resist eating them!

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Watch Martha bake these stained glass gingerbread baubles with her star bakers from Hunsdon JMI School. If you make them with your family, remember to share your photos with us, using the hashtag #FollowTheStar.

Martha Collison’s stained glass gingerbread baubles

Preparation time: 15 minutes plus 10-15 minutes chilling time

Cooking time: 10-12 minutes

Makes: 20 biscuits

Ingredients:

  • 75g butter
  • 3 tbsp golden syrup
  • 75g light soft brown sugar
  • 175g plain flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 x packet coloured boiled sweets
  • Optional: Thin ribbon, to tie

Method:

  1. Add the butter, golden syrup and light brown sugar to a pan. Stir over a low heat until sugar has dissolved and the mixture has melted.
     
  2. Add flour, bicarbonate of soda, ginger and cinnamon to a mixing bowl then stir together. Make a well in the centre and pour in the sugar and butter mixture.
     
  3. Stir together to form a dough (it might be easiest to use your hands), then wrap in clingfilm and let chill for 15-20 minutes to firm up slightly. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
     
  4. Lay the dough between two sheets of baking parchment or clingfilm. Roll it out to roughly the thickness of a £1 coin. Use a 7cm round cookie cutter or a large star shaped cutter to cut out circles, the punch out the centres using a star-shaped cutter. Arrange on a baking tray lined with baking parchment.
     
  5. Divide the boiled sweets into colours and then crush. You can do this in a mini food processor, but I used a sealed bag with a rolling pin. Separate into individual containers.
     
  6. Fill the gaps you have punched out of each biscuit with the crushed boiled sweets. They don’t need to fill every gap as they will melt into the space in the oven!
     
  7. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the sweets have melted and the gingerbread looks golden brown. They won't be firm but will harden when left to cool. Use a skewer to make a small hole in the top of each cookie while they are still warm.
     
  8. Once cool, thread a piece of ribbon through each biscuit then hang on your Christmas tree or eat straight away, the choice is yours!
#FollowTheStar biscuit baking with Martha Collison