Dissolve first. Warm the water, sugar and treacle over a low heat, stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved and no grains scrape the bottom of the pan.

Simmer and spice. Add the spices, salt and vanilla and simmer gently 8-10 minutes until it thickens enough to coat a spoon. Do not let it boil hard: treacle catches and turns bitter fast.

Cool and keep. Pour into a jar and cool. It thickens further as it cools and keeps three weeks in the fridge.

Build in the glass. Put the syrup in the bottom of a tall glass and pour the hot espresso over, stirring until the syrup has dissolved completely into the coffee.

Steam the milk. Heat the milk until steaming and froth it, with a steam wand, a handheld frother or by shaking it hard in a sealed jar then microwaving it for 30 seconds.

Pour the milk in slowly down the side of the glass so it layers against the dark coffee, holding the foam back with a spoon and spooning it on last.

Top with whipped cream, a heavy dusting of cinnamon and a gingerbread biscuit on the side.