Combine the Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift together the plain flour, bicarbonate of soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Sifting helps to aerate the flour and ensures the spices are evenly distributed. Give it a quick whisk and set aside.

Cream the Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and light soft brown sugar together for about 3-4 minutes until the mixture is light, pale, and fluffy. This incorporates air, which contributes to the texture of the cookies.

Add the Wet Ingredients: Beat in the egg and the black treacle until just combined. The mixture might look a little curdled at this stage, but don't worry, it will all come together when you add the flour.

Form the Dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on a low speed until a soft dough begins to form. Be careful not to overmix; stop as soon as there are no dry streaks of flour remaining. I find that finishing the last few turns by hand with a spatula helps prevent the dough from becoming tough.

Chill the Dough: Tip the dough out onto a clean surface, bring it together into a ball, and then flatten it into a disc. Wrap it tightly in cling film and place it in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.

Roll and Cut: Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan) and line two large baking trays with parchment paper. Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. Roll the chilled dough out to a thickness of about 5mm (the thickness of a £1 coin). Use a gingerbread man cutter to stamp out your shapes, re-rolling the scraps as needed.

Second Chill (My Secret Step!): Place the cut-out shapes onto the prepared baking trays, leaving a little space between each one. For extra-sharp edges, pop the trays into the fridge for another 15 minutes before baking. This helps them hold their shape perfectly.

Bake the Cookies: Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the tops are firm to the touch. They will still be slightly soft in the middle but will firm up as they cool.

Cool and Decorate: Leave the gingerbread men to cool on the baking trays for 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, you can decorate them. To make the icing, mix the sifted icing sugar with a few tablespoons of water until you have a thick but pipeable consistency. Decorate as you wish!