Gingerbread

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
4 tablespoons ginger
2 tablespoons allspice
2 tablespoons cinnamon
2 tablespoons cloves
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup butter
1 egg, beaten
3 1/2 cups plain flour

1. In a medium saucepan, heat sugar, molasses, ginger, allspice, cinnamon, and cloves to boiling, stirring occasionally.
2. Remove from heat; stir in soda (it will foam up).
3. Stir in butter till melted.
4. With a fork, stir in egg, then flour.
5. On a floured surface, knead dough till mixed. Divide dough in half, wrap half with plastic wrap; set aside.
6. Roll half the dough, with a rolling pin, slightly thinner than 1 cm
7. Cut with cutters.
8. Bake at 180C on a cookie sheet for 1o minutes; cool on a wire rack.