Gingerbread stars

For the biscuits

230g rice flour, plus extra for rolling

120g potato flour (sometimes called potato starch)

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp xanthan gum

2 tsp ground ginger

110g cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

170g dark soft brown sugar

1 large egg

2 tbsp date syrup

2 tbsp syrup from a jar of preserved stem ginger

To decorate

Thinly sliced circles of preserved stem ginger

Gold leaf (optional)

To make the gingerbread, sift the flours into a large mixing bowl and add the bicarbonate of soda, xanthan gum and ground ginger. Rub in the butter until the mixture is like fine breadcrumbs and then stir in the brown sugar.
Beat the eggs with the date syrup and ginger syrup and then pour this into the dry ingredients. Stir in the liquid with a knife and then knead it by hand until the mixture comes together as a soft dough. Wrap the dough in cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes or until needed.
Preheat the oven to 190oC/170oC fan/gas 5 and line two baking sheets with baking parchment.
Dust the work surface with rice flour and roll out the dough to about 5mm thick. It’s easiest to do this in batches.
Stamp out stars using a 5cm five-point star cutter and transfer them to a lined baking sheet. Gently press a slice of preserved ginger into the centre of each star.
Bake for about 12-15 minutes until golden brown, then slide them onto a wire rack to cool and firm up.
Decorate with a fleck of gold leaf on the preserved ginger if you like.