Sticky Fingers Ginger Loaf with Butterscotch Glaze

, from Issue #94. December, 2020
Photography by Josh Griggs.
Sticky Fingers Ginger Loaf with Butterscotch Glaze

Dense, sticky and beautifully spiced, this recipe has been with me since my catering days, which is a very long time ago. Pour the Butterscotch Glaze (see recipe below) over the loaf, serve alongside or ditch the glaze and serve plain.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup golden syrup
½ cup water
75 grams Westgold butter
½ packed cup brown sugar
finely grated zest 1 orange
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups plain flour
2 tablespoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon each baking soda and ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon each sea salt and ground mixed spice
¼ cup crystallised ginger, thinly sliced


Butterscotch glaze
½ packed cup brown sugar
¼ cup cream
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

METHOD

Equipment: Lightly grease a 5-cup capacity loaf tin and fully line with baking paper.

Preheat the oven to 150°C fan bake.

Put the golden syrup, water, butter, brown sugar, zest and vanilla in a saucepan over a medium-low heat. Stir to melt the sugar and butter then remove from the heat. Cool for 15 minutes.

Sift all the dry ingredients together into a large bowl. Add the cooled syrup and mix until smooth, ensuring there are no pockets of flour in the batter.

Pour into the prepared tin and scatter over the sliced ginger. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and cover with foil to prevent over-browning. Return to oven and bake for a further 35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tin. The cake is best made a day ahead of eating and keeps beautifully for 4-5 days in an airtight container.
Makes 1 loaf


Butterscotch glaze
Bring all the ingredients to the boil in a small saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes. Cool.
Makes ½ cup