Best English Gingerbread Recipes

DAMP JAMAICAN GINGERBREAD (ENGLISH RECIPE)

Steps:

• Line a buttered 2lb loaf tin with greaseproof paper and paint the paper with a little melted butter.
• My tin measures 6½ x 3¾ inches at the base and is 3 3/8 inches high.
• Do not use a smaller tin as the mixture rises above the rim of the tin.
• Measure the molasses, syrup, sugar and butter into a saucepan with ½ cup of water, gently heat on a medium/low flame and stir gently until thoroughly melted and blended.
• Don't let it boil!
• If it gets very hot, allow the mixture to cool slightly.
• Sift the flour, and spices into a large bowl.
• Mix the baking soda with the milk and set aside.
• Next add the syrup mixture to the flour and spices, a little at a time and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth with no flour lumps.
• Beat in the eggs a little at a time.
• Add the baking soda and milk.
• Pour the mixture into the tin and bake in the center of oven at 325 F convection (300 F fan assisted) for 1 to 1¼ hours, until it's well risen and firm to the touch.
• Allow to cool for 5 or 10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.
• Once cool, put into a tin for 24 hours then enjoy.

ENGLISH GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease a 10-inch by 8-inch by 2 1/2-inch square cake tin and line it with grease-proof paper on the bottom and sides. Brush with one to two tablespoons melted margarine.
• Combine the remaining margarine in a small saucepan with the molasses and corn syrup and heat gently until melted. Remove from heat. Sift the bicarbonate of soda, plain and whole wheat flours (returning the whole wheat "flakes" left in the seive) into a large bowl.
• If using a food processor, put half the flour with the eggs, sugar, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger into the bowl fitted with the steel blade. Add the margarine-molasses mixture and process until smooth. Add the remaining flour (the bowl will be quite full) and process, adding a little milk if necessary to make a smooth mixture of dropping consistency. If working by hand, beat the eggs and add them one by one to the margarine mixture. Add to the flour with the sugar and spices and blend until smooth.
• Add the crystallized ginger and raisins to the mixture and turn it into the prepared tin. Bake in the center of the oven for one-and-a-half to two hours or until a thin skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. The gingerbread should have begun to shrink away from the sides of the tin and the center should be springy to the touch.
• Remove the gingerbread from the oven and allow it to cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Brush the top liberally with molasses and sprinkle with chopped ginger, pressing the pieces into the surface. Allow to cool and remove from the baking tin. At this point the gingerbread can be cut into four loaves and stored separately in airtight cake tins. It keeps for several weeks in a cake tin but it may also be frozen.

ENGLISH GINGERBREAD CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°. Grease bottom and sides of an 8" x 8" metal baking pan with butter and line bottom of pan with parchment paper. Grease parchment paper with butter and dust paper and sides of pan with a little cake flour. Heat 8 tablespoons butter, golden syrup, brown sugar, and marmalade in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring often, until syrup thins and sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes; let cool for 10 minutes. Whisk in the milk and eggs; set syrup mixture aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together cake flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, and salt. Add reserved syrup mixture and whisk until just combined. Pour batter into reserved baking pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 50 minutes.
• Transfer cake to a rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat remaining butter along with sugar and lemon juice in a 1-qt. saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring often, until sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Using a pastry brush, brush half the lemon syrup over top of cake. Invert cake onto cooling rack, discard parchment, and brush the remaining lemon syrup on bottom and sides of cake. Invert the cake onto a serving stand and wrap in plastic wrap; let cool completely. The cake tastes better the day after baking and will keep for up to 4 days. To serve, cut cake into squares and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.