I have been asked so many times by Lisa from NenaghGal for this recipe! I am so so sorry Lisa that it has taken me so long to post it!
Lisa happened to be here for a cuppa when I had just taken my second attempt at this recipe out of the oven! She declared it delicious and that it reminded her of her Mom’s cookies from childhood! So guys go blame Lisa if it doesn’t live up to reputation!
This Christmas there have been many wonderful Gingerbread houses in Twitterland and on the blogsphere…. but I don’t have the patience for that! All I want is a cup of tea and a piece of gingerbread!
The original recipe came from Sheelagh at An Irish Village Pantry, but I’ve adjusted it a little bit – to suit what was to hand and our taste. If you pop over to Sheelagh’s blog… check out her recipe for gridle bread too! It is gorgeous!
The first time I tried to make this Gingerbread I don’t know what I did to it but it was a disaster! The cake never rose at all! It was just this flat biscuit like thing – it tasted delicious but looked horrendous!
I don’t know about everyone else but when something doesn’t work for me most of the time I’m not inclined to go back there again! But I really really like gingerbread so just a couple of weeks ago I decided to give it one more try!
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp molasses
- 2 tbsp golden syrup
- 175 g/6 oz butter
- 175 g/6 oz brown sugar
- 150 g/5 oz mixed stem/crystallized and fresh ginger (50/50 split of stem and fresh)
- 1 large cooking apple
- 225 g/8 oz white spelt flour
- 125 g/4 oz wholemeal spelt flour
- 1 tsp mixed spice – I used a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg and ground cloves
- 1 1/2 tsp bread soda
- 2 duck eggs
Method:
Preheat the oven to 160 C, 325 F, Gas Mark 3.
Grease and line 2 x 1 lb loaf tins.
Put the molasses, golden syrup, sugar and butter in a saucepan and heat gently to melt butter. Cool slightly.
Thinly slice the stem/crystallised ginger pieces. Grate the fresh ginger. Peel, core and grate the apple.
Sift the white flour, bread soda and spice into a bowl. Add the wholemeal flour and grated apple. Mix lightly.
Add in the liquid, beaten eggs and ginger.
Mix well, and pour into the prepared tin.
Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Leave to cool.
Slice and enjoy!
This freezes well and keeps well in an airtight tin too – if it isn’t all eaten at first sitting!
A Year In Redwood 
I really like gingerbread too, but my recipe doesn’t have molasses in it. I will certainly try this one 🙂
Colette,
The original recipe had black treacle in it…. but I didn’t have that so substituted/reduced quantity with the molasses.
M
Fabulous! My friend’s been looking for a good recipe for ‘proper’ gingerbread (as opposed to the gingerbread I make for cookies).. I’ll share with her thanks.
Dee,
I’ve been searching for ages for a recipe so I hope she enjoys!
Margaret
Sounds fab. If I were substituting large hen’s eggs how many would you think it needs?
Fiona,
I know it sounds silly to say depending on the size of them! My duck eggs are very large – so perhaps 3 or 4 hen eggs?
Margaret