Sticky Gingerbread

Sticky Gingerbread- A Cookbook Collection

 

This is another recipe from the wonderful Nigella Christmas. I promise that will be the end of my sweet treats recipes for a while and back to the proper business of real food. Well, for a week or so anyway!

I wasn’t going to blog this recipe for the simple fact that I’m not a big fan myself. I made it because I saw so many people raving about it online and thought it sounded really nice. And then I tasted it and decided gingerbread is not for me. You have no idea how much this disappoints me, I usually love everything Christmas related! Anyway, I didn’t make it for me, I made it to give to people as part of a gift and they loved it. And that’s all that matters, right? So don’t let my weird tastes put you off. Some asked for the recipe so that is why I am blogging it.

If you do like gingerbread, this is a very easy recipe. It is a very moist cake and keeps well in an airtight tin for a couple of weeks. Ideal to have around the house for any unexpected callers at this time of year. I think I’m selling it to myself now!!

I’m taking this opportunity to plead with manufacturers to put black treacle in a squeezy bottle. Please and thanks.

 

Makes 20 pieces

Ingredients:

  • 150g unsalted butter
  • 200g golden syrup
  • 200g black treacle or molasses
  • 125g dark muscovado sugar
  • 2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda, dissolved in 2 tbsp of warm water
  • 250ml full fat milk
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 300g plain flour, measured into a large bowl
  • Icing sugar for dusting

 

Method:

  • Preheat the oven to 170c/150c fan/gas mark 3 and line a roasting dish or suitable dish approx 30cm x 20cm with baking parchment. I used a roasting dish, Nigella also suggests using disposable foil trays. It saves on washing up too!
  • Put a saucepan on a low heat and melt together the butter, golden syrup, black treacle, sugar, fresh ginger and ground spices.
  • When melted and the sugar is fully dissolved, take pan off the heat and add the milk, eggs and dissolved bicarbonate of soda. Mix well.
  • Pour the liquid mixture over the flour and beat very well until mixed. I was beating for ages and there seemed to be lumps of flour still in the mix. I am very conscious of never over mixing a cake batter (it causes air pockets and heavy cakes) so I poured in into the tray, lumps and all but it turned out fine. It is a very wet batter so don’t worry if it looks wrong.
  • Bake it for 45-60 minutes until it has risen and is firm on top. Mine took about 55 minutes. Nigella warns that overbaking will mean it will lose its stickiness.
  • Leave the cake in the tin on a wire rack to cool. Cut it into 20 squares, or more if you wish – a little goes a long way.
  • Dust with icing sugar.

 

Click here for the print friendly version – Sticky Gingerbread – A Cookbook Collection

0 thoughts on “Sticky Gingerbread

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.