Sticky Ginger Loaves

. August, 2017
Photography by Claire Aldous.
Sticky Ginger Loaves

These gorgeous little loaves are delicious served plain dusted with icing sugar or glammed up with a drizzle of lemon icing and zest.

INGREDIENTS

½ cup golden syrup
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup water
40 grams butter
1 cup plain flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt
2 tablespoons ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground mixed spice
2 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
¼ cup flaked almonds

METHOD

Grease 6 holes of an 8 hole mini loaf tin and line each hole with a strip of baking paper, bringing it up the short ends of the tins.

Preheat the oven to 160°C fan bake. Put the golden syrup, sugar, water and butter in a small saucepan. Place over a low heat and stir until the butter has melted and the sugar dissolved. Set aside until just warm.

Sift all the dry ingredients into a large bowl and add the ginger, tossing it through the flour so there are no clumps. Pour in the golden syrup mixture and whisk until smooth. Divide evenly between the tins then scatter over the almonds.

Bake for about 15 minutes until lightly golden and risen and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool then remove from the tins. The cakes are best made one day ahead of eating and keep well for 4 days in an airtight container. Makes 6.

Cook's note: If you want to ice the loaves, sift 1 cup of icing sugar into a bowl and stir in 2-3 teaspoons of lemon juice to make a thick but pourable icing. The recipe is easily doubled to make a larger batch of loaves.