I made another Ginger Loaf last week, that filled the kitchen with a the smell of Christmas. The occasion? It was my last evening at Choir this year. I wanted to contribute something other than my off-key singing; after all, baking is ‘my thing’. I have been a member of the Buskerteers Choir for almost a year now. It has been an interesting experience which I am still trying to process.
In the meantime, I’ll just share a picture of the loaf I lovingly made between reports and meetings.
The Primose, Bakery Martha Swift and Lisa Thomas, Page 144
Ingredients
200g unsalted butter, diced, plus more for greasing tin
175g molasses sugar
3 tbsp black treacle/molasses
150 ml semi-skimmed milk
4 pieces stem ginger, drained and chopped (reserve the syrup to pour over finished loaf)
2 large eggs, free-range or organic, beaten
300g self-raising flour
1 tbsp ground ginger
Pinch of salt
Makes 1 x 900g loaf cake (8 – 10 slices)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180oC/gas mark 4. Grease 1 x 900g loaf tin and line with baking paper or a loaf tin liner.
- Melt the butter, sugar and treacle in a saucepan over a low heat. Leave to cool briefly and then stir in the milk. In a bowl, add the chopped ginger to the beaten eggs and then beat into the butter mixture. Sift the flour, ground ginger and salt into a bowl, then add to the warm mixture and combine thoroughly.
- Pour the mixture into the loaf tin and level it out with a spatula. Bake in the centre of the oven for 50 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
- Leave in the tin to cool. While it is cooling prick the surface of the loaf all over with a fork, then pour the reserved ginger syrup over the loaf and brush it evenly all over.
- Any uneaten ginger loaf can be kept in an airtight container or wrapped in clingfilm and stored at room temperature for 3 – 4 days.
