Gingerbread

No – this is not the gingerbread house of the Hansel and Gretel fairy tale.  It is a moist cake or loaf that you can eat cold, with or without butter, with a cup of tea or coffee.  It also works well when warm with cream or yoghurt as a dessert. 

 Ingredients

2 cups flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 egg
½ cup sugar
50 gms butter or margarine
2 tablespoons golden syrup
1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup milk
½ cup chopped crystallised ginger pieces

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180°C
2. Grease and flour an 18cm square cake pan or a 20cm long loaf pan
3. Beat the eggs and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy
4. Melt the butter and golden syrup in a saucepan on the stove top or in a small bowl in the microwave oven
5. Allow to cool slightly then add to the egg and sugar mixture
6. Ad the crystallized ginger
7. Sift flour ginger and cinnamon together into the bowl and gently stir into the mixture
8. Dissolve the baking soda in the milk and gently stir until all the ingredients are well combined
9. Turn the mixture into the prepared baking pan
10. Bake for 55-60 minutes until a skewer of knife inserted into the cake comes out clean
11. Leave for 5 -10 minutes then turn out on to a wire rack to cool

If serving the gingerbread warm as a dessert, cut into squares and serve with whipped cream or a spoonful of yoghurt and sprinkle with some finely chopped crystallized ginger