Now that Autumn is here, I’ve been feeling the need for some gingerbread. My mum always used to bake gingerbread at this time of year; it was wonderful to come home from school and find the house full of the rich aromas. Alas, it was also a little cruel as gingerbread needs to mature for a day so that it becomes nice and sticky. Good thing that Mum always made two loaves!!
There are many different recipes for gingerbread ranging from cake-like to shortbread textured ones (Grasmere gingerbread is a good example of this) to oatmeal based ones like Parkin. Medieval gingerbread recipes were based around breadcrumbs and honey; it was only in the fifteenth century that treacle began to feature in recipes. To this day, some gingerbread recipes remain decidedly treacle-free. I really can’t imagine gingerbread without lashings of treacle - I like my gingerbread as dark, rich and gingery as possible! (And Mum’s recipe definitely fits the bill.)
Mum’s Gingerbread
110g butter or margerine
175g treacle
50g golden syrup
120ml (8 tablespoons) milk
2 large eggs, beaten
225g plain flour
4 teaspoons ground ginger (you can increase this to 2 tablespoons if you like lots of ginger)
2 teaspoons mixed spice
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
50g caster sugar
8″ x 4″ x 3″ loaf tin (2lb tin)
Preheat oven to Gas Mark 3. Grease and base-line the tin.
Melt butter (or margerine), treacle, and golden syrup together gently. Stir in the milk and egg.
Sift the flour, bicarbonate and spices into a bowl. Stir in the sugar and then stir in the syrup mixture. Mix thoroughly - it will be sloppy.
Bake for one hour. Cool in the tin for at least 30 minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack.
The gingerbread is best if eaten after a couple of days. The flavours need time to mature together.
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My wife made me some gingerbread from your recipe, it was delicious, thanks very much.
Steve.
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Wow… that looks GORGEOUS!
two points:
1) First time I’ve seen “lashings of *condiment*” outside of Enid Blyton and thought it an apt expression - well done!
2) Now. if it needs to sit about for a day… surely that’s about how long it’d take to post me some first class ?
xxx
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Well… if you’re that enthused about it then you can have a loaf for Christmas
I have no idea how to get it to you intact though - Royal Mail seem to positively delight in jumping up and down on top of packages. At least, I assume that’s what they’ve been doing from the state recent packages have arrived in.
Re lashings: it did seem appropiate. Plus, Enid Blyton’s picnics/midnight feasts always seemed to feature either gingerbread or gingerbeer….
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Christmas ! Yes!
I bet it’ll be worth waiting for
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This is another winner for Pieman towers. Now, I need to find a source for treacle here in Saigon. I think living abroad heightens your admiration and yearning for classic Brit scoff. Keep it coming.
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Hi Pieman - finding treacle in Saigon sounds very challenging! Good luck on your quest
I suppose there’s always online ordering….
Hey sweetie - I shall indeed send you a loaf for Christmas. I’ll try and track down a suitable tin so that the Royal Mail don’t viciously crush it flat. It looks like I’m doing foodie gifts this year so there might be a few extras
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I adore shortbread, and while I’m not too fond of gingerbread, I would be interested to bake the “shortbread textured ones (Grasmere), as you say. Would you have a recipe?
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Hi Lori - I don’t have a recipe for the Grasmere gingerbread, but there should be lots on the web. I much prefer the dark, rich sort!
Have made this gingerbread lots of times now - it’s the best recipe of all the ones I’ve tried. Absolutely delicious - all my family and friends love it. Thanks.
Hi,
Just to say I’m definately going to try this gingerbread recipe out. I love just love gingerbread and am always on the lookout for a better recipe!!
Thanks
Oh my goodness! This is exactly the recipe that I have been looking for. Its perfect sticky gingerbread as my granny used to make it. Thank you. Lucy
Hi Lucy! I hope the gingerbread tastes as good as your granny’s and brings back some lovely memories!
Oh my goodness, this tastes exactly like the sticky gingerbread my mum used to make us in the school holidays, sliced thick with butter spread on it
Yummy! Thank you!!