Traditional Gingerbread Recipe from New British Cookbook

Larry Cox — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 19:02:25 +0000

Ham, Pickles & Jam: Traditional Skills for the Modern Kitchen Larder by Thane Prince (Pavilion/Anova Books, $34.95)
Thane Prince is a London-based chef who has been writing about cooking for more than two decades. She has been a food writer for The Daily Telegraph and a regular contributor to various publications throughout the UK. Author of several previous books, she also helped found the acclaimed Aldebargh Cookery School.
“Ham, Pickles & Jam” is an absolute joy and is the next best thing to actually being in a traditional British home kitchen. Using tips, tricks and recipes served up by Prince, cash-strapped cooks can cut costs by making the most of seasonal ingredients, properly storing food and stocking cupboards with pantry staples.
What makes this cookbook so much fun is that while the approach is modern, the collection also blends the cooking skills of the past. Supplemented by beautiful images, this is the perfect teaching tool for even new cooks to learn how to prepare such wonderful dishes as Green Tomato Chutney, Golden Gingerbread, Lemon Curds, and even Raised Pork Pies.
The recipes are divided into eleven basic sections: Cheese and Dairy; Charcuterie; Bread and Pastry; Cakes, Biscuits and Cereal; Salt Curing; Rendering and Fats; Jams, Jellies and Preserves; Pickles and Chutneys; Condiments; Air Drying; and Cordials and Liqueurs. Especially helpful is a list of what every well-stocked larder should have including spices, beans, grains, oils and sauces.
Since we are approaching the holidays and nothing reflects the festive season quite like Golden Gingerbread, this is the first recipe I tested. When a neighbor gave me a bag of lemons, I also made my first batch of Lemon Curd. Both were easy-to-prepare and quite tasty.
GOLDEN GINGERBREAD
1 ½ stick of butter
1 ¼ c soft brown sugar
1 c golden syrup
1 egg
1 ¼ c milk
4 ½ c self-raising flour
½ tsp fine seal salt
1 ½ tsp ground ginger
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Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a shallow tin 13×8 1/2x 2 in.
Put the butter, sugar and syrup in a saucepan and heat very gently for about 10 minutes until everything melts. Cool a little, then beat in the egg and the milk. Mix in the dry ingredients and then pour into the prepared tin.
Bake in the preheated oven for 70-85 minutes or until well risen and firm to the touch.
Allow to cool in the tin, then cut into squares and store in an airtight container for 48 hours before serving.

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Traditional Gingerbread Recipe from New British Cookbook