“Inspired by a secret gingerbread recipe (they wouldn’t share!), my version’s up there with the best. ”
Ingredients
- 400 g quality shortbread
- 170 g demerara sugar
- 3 level teaspoons ground ginger
- 40 g mixed peel
- 40 g crystallized ginger
- 70 g plain flour
- 1 pinch of baking powder
- 40 g golden syrup
- 40 g treacle
- 70 g unsalted butter
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4 and line a 20cm x 35cm baking tray with greaseproof paper.
- Put the shortbread, sugar and 2 teaspoons of the ground ginger into a food processor and whiz to fine crumbs. Remove 100g of the mix and keep this to one side.
- Add the remaining teaspoon of ginger to the processor, then roughly chop and add the mixed peel and ginger, followed by the flour and baking powder. Pulse until well mixed.
- Melt the syrup, treacle and butter together in a large pan. Once melted, stir in the mixture from the food processor until thoroughly combined.
- Tip onto the baking tray and spread out evenly. Press the mixture down into the tray, using your fingers or the back of a spoon. When the mix is a flat, dense and even layer, pop the tray in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Take the tray out of the oven and sprinkle the hot gingerbread with the reserved crumbs, pressing them down really well with a potato masher or spatula.
- Carefully cut into good-sized pieces with a sharp knife, and leave to cool in the tray before eating.
Tips
Check out my Christmas Cookbook to find out how to use this recipe to make a giant gingerbread person. Everyone will love it!
Source: Jamie Oliver
