Thursday 27 January 2011

Heart of Darkness


That's what this gingerbread was called in the days when I baked it for the busy local sandwich shop.... For those who asked for the recipe, here it is. I'm afraid I found it on the 'net years ago, and didn't think to make a note of whose recipe it was, but someone had posted it as her mum's. Sorry, that daughter and mum.

Somebody's Mum's Gingerbread


110g butter 
175g black treacle
50g golden syrup
120ml (8 tablespoons) milk
2 large eggs, beaten
225g plain flour
4 teaspoons ground ginger (increase if you like; I add another couple)
2 teaspoons mixed spice
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
50g caster sugar


A 2lb. loaf tin, greased and lined, or 2 x 1 lb.


Note: I rub the container of the scales very lightly with oil before weighing sticky syrup and treacle - that way it glides off into the pan. Getting it tidily from the tin into the scales is another matter entirely.


Melt butter, black treacle and golden syrup together gently. Allow to cool a little, before stirring in beaten egg and milk.


Sift flour, bicarb. and spices into a bowl. Stir in the sugar, and pour in the butter/milk/egg mixture.


Mix thoroughly. It will be sloppy. Pour into tin(s).


Sprinkle with chopped pieces of ginger (stem or crystallised) for added zing. 


Bake for about an hour (for 2 lb. loaf; less if using 1 lb. tins) in a pre-heated moderate oven (Gas Mark 3/160C/325F) testing with a skewer at 50-minute stage.


Leave to cool for a few minutes before turning out of tin. Leave for a day or two, to allow flavour to develop. Spend some time wiping black treacle and golden syrup off yourself and the most unlikely places in your kitchen.


And the cookies? They came from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's book, 'Everyday' with the addition of 50g ground almonds instead of vanilla extract. (I hate vanilla.) As described, 10-minute cookies, irresistible!

15 comments:

Kathie said...

good morning, Rachel! I am going to try the gingerbread recipe... BUT as I live in the US, I'm not sure what we call Treacle! My guess is that it is dark Molasses... have you any idea? Then there is the "golden syrup" which I bet we call corn syrup... what do you think?

Thanks again and again for your wonderful blogs. Every time I see you have a new posting, I actually say out loud "good morning, Rachel!" If I ever get to Britain again, I am definitely going to find my way to you for a jaunt with the dogs and a cup of tea.
Kathie

Susan said...

oh noo !! not you too !!
Wass up then with the half Imperial half Metric ??? uh err ...28gms to an ounce (roughly) 110 gms butter therefore would be ... and mls to a teaspoon ...errrhhh

oh oh I smell burning, gears burning

I'm going to make this today ! after I've finished my calculations and put my slide rule away. Looks delish and we HEART ginger.

xoxo midst a blizzard les Gang

Val said...

That looks delicious....why do I come across such recipes just as I decide I'd better get skinnier..perhaps I could make it then freeze most of it (please stop laughing ..I can hear you from here..it might happen like that.....possibly)

jabblog said...

Mouth-watering! It sent me on a search for eggless gingerbread which I may try tomorrow - or not, depending on how well I progress with the marmalade.

Rattling On said...

You can't beat a good rib-sticker when it's cold. Back to sub-zero here...

Anonymous said...

I'm going to be a smarty pants about weighing things like treacle, syrup and honey ..... stand the tin on the scales, work out that weight minus the amount you require, then spoon out until you reach that lesser weight. OK, I didn't think that up for myself - many years ago I went to cookery classes!

rachel said...

Kathie: Sigh... if I had a penny every time.... there is no real substitute for Golden Syrup!! Corn syrup will do, but not in an ideal world. North Americans, start petitioning the great grocery gods for more imports of the delectable (espec. on porridge) Tate & Lyle's golden ambrosia.......

Susan: you old hardliner, you. I'm going to send you a small metric/imperial scale, and some measuring spoons, just for UK recipes!

Frayed: you are a smartypants, true. Maybe I won't make you that gingerbread next week.... What about those of us who can't do hard sums?

Val: Hollow laughter echoing through the internet.....

Jabb: I think there are egg-free recipes out there. Good luck!

Rattling: you have the worst climate of anywhere in the UK, you know that?

Susan said...

mixed spice ??
I'm thinking a combo of cloves, cinnamon, all spice
or do you mean just all spice.

lovethosecupcakes said...

Echoing what Val said. (Damn you, Slimming World).

Pam said...

Get thee behind me, Bad Person with Fattening Recipes.

Miss Pickering said...

Tea and lashings of gingerbread.
perfect

SmitoniusAndSonata said...

Temptation , thy name is gingerbread ...
(jabblog's looking for an egg-free marmalade recipe ?)

Lucille said...

It must be almost impossible to find the unique originator of any given combination of ingredients, but recipes are often claimed as someone's own. I like your helpful suggestion for the weighing of treacle and syrup though.

walter and me said...

Yum...sigh...just what I need to distract me from my tax return!

mrspao said...

I made this today and it is delicious. I can't wait to see how it matures.

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