Beat together the butter and the shortening in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until the butter has paled and the mixture is creamy.

Add the sugar and beat well.

Add the egg, orange essence, and treacle and beat for a few minutes more.

Sift together the salt, cake flour, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and ginger.

Add the flour mix to the egg mixt and beat until the mixture comes together in a medium soft cookie dough.

Roll the dough into two balls and wrap with plastic wrap.

Chill overnight or for at least 2-3 hours before using.

Roll the dough out evenly on a floured surface or between two sheets of baking paper.

Use cookie cutters to cut out the dough into shapes.

Transfer the cookies to a baking sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick spray or lined with baking paper.

Bake the cookies in an oven preheated to 180˚C for 10 – 12 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

To make the orange glaze, sift the icing sugar into a bowl.

Mix together the orange juice and the orange essence and heat gently.

Whisk the warm orange juice into the icing sugar a little at a time, until the mixture forms a thick glaze.

Use a little warm water if necessary to correct the consistency.

Place the orange glaze into a piping bag and use it to decorate the cookies

Recipe Notes:

Where the recipe calls for:

Treacle - you can use molasses

Cake flour - you can use general all-purpose flour

Bicarbonate of Soda - you can use baking Soda

˚C is 350 ˚F or gas mark 6