I love a good gingerbread loaf, infact I have a big weakness for any ginger spiced baking, but gingerbread goes particulary well with a nice strong black coffee on a weekend morning. I've tried quite a few different recipes and this one is by far my favourite, good old Nigella.
Ingredients
150g butter
200g golden syrup
200g black treacle or molasses
125g dark muscovado sugar
125g dark muscovado sugar
2 teaspoons finely grated ginger
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda, dissolved in 2 x 15ml tablespoons warm water
250ml full-fat milk
2 eggs, beaten to mix
300g plain flour
1. Preheat the oven to 170°C and line a loaf tin with baking paper. Makes either one large loaf (30cm x 20cm) or two small loaves (9cm x 22cm).
2. In a saucepan, melt the butter over a lowish heat along with the sugar, syrup, treacle, fresh and ground gingers, cinnamon and cloves.
3. Take off the heat, and add the milk, eggs and dissolved bicarbonate of soda in its water.
4. Measure the flour into a bowl and pour in the liquid ingredients, beating until well mixed. It will be a very liquid batter, so don’t worry. This is part of what makes it sticky later.
5. Pour it into the prepared tin and bake for 45–60 minutes until risen and firm on top. Try not to overcook, as it is nicer a little stickier, and anyway will carry on cooking as it cools.
6. Transfer the tin to a wire rack and let the gingerbread cool in the tin before cutting.
3. Take off the heat, and add the milk, eggs and dissolved bicarbonate of soda in its water.
4. Measure the flour into a bowl and pour in the liquid ingredients, beating until well mixed. It will be a very liquid batter, so don’t worry. This is part of what makes it sticky later.
5. Pour it into the prepared tin and bake for 45–60 minutes until risen and firm on top. Try not to overcook, as it is nicer a little stickier, and anyway will carry on cooking as it cools.
6. Transfer the tin to a wire rack and let the gingerbread cool in the tin before cutting.
