Blue Ribbon Gingerbread

 

I think today has to be one of the worst, most miserable rainy, windy, gloomy wet days we have had thus far this autumn.  All the leaves are being shaken from the trees and whipped around the yard.  I looked out earlier and saw the baby bath we use to bathe the dog in flying across the garden!  Hopefully it won't go much further than that. 

 

Today is one of those days you just want to hunker down indoors with a warm blanket, a good book and something hot to drink . . .  and . . .  well . . .  while you have the kettle and the fire on, you might as well bake something cosy to enjoy along with that hot drink.

 

I don't think you can get much cosier than Gingerbread.  It is filled with lovely flavours that just spell "Home Sweet Home" to me.   Scents and flavours that make us think back to our childhoods, and the comfortable warmth of our Grandmother's aproned lap.

 

This has to be one of the best Ginger breads you could ever want to bake.  Its a recipe I adapted from an old book of mine written by the late Marion Cunningham called "Lost Suppers."  Every recipe in this book is a winner.

 

This is cosy, cosy, cosy  . . .  and filled with lots of warm flavours . . .  cinnamon, ginger, cloves . . .  and I added some ground cardamom, which worked very well.

 

Oh, it smelled a little bit like what I suppose Heaven to smell like while it was baking.  Oh boy . . .  what is it about the smell of the warm baking spices that gets our taste buds tingling?

 

The cake itself is dense and moist and quite delicious.  Gingerbread is a bit like chocolate cake.  Its almost impossible to take photos of it that truly showcase the gorgeousness of it.

 

No matter how much icing sugar you dust it with to off-set the darkness of it  . . .

 

Or how much softly whipped cream you dollop on top  . . .

 

preferably while the cake is still warm  . . .  so some of it melts and soaks into that gorgeous gingerbread-ness . . .  mmmm . . . .

 

The first fork-full will have you closing your eyes as you tuck in to those delicious flavours  . . .  warm, and spicy . . . .

 

You want to savour them forever  . . .  and in the meantime, your house is smelling gorgeous, of cinnamon, ginger, cloves . . .  molasses . . .  woodsmoke  . . . 

 

The wind can howl around the chimney brest . . . the rain can beat against the window panes  . . .

  

All is truly well with your own little world . . . your home sweet home is in good hands . . . gingerbread scented hands  . . .  ahhh . . .  bliss.

Yield: 8- 9 generouslyAuthor: Marie Rayner

Blue Ribbon Gingerbread

prep time: 15 minscook time: 55 minstotal time: 70 mins

This deliciously old-fashioned gingerbread is an heirloom recipe. Its dark and spicy.  Serve it warm, cut into squares along with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream to grace the top.

ingredients:

310g plain flour (2 1/2 cups)

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp ground cardamom

120g butter, softened (1/2 cup)

95g sugar (1/2 cup)

240ml dark molasses

1 TBS honey

2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

240ml boiling water

2 large free range eggs, beaten

instructions:

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.  Butter an 8 inch square deep baking tin and line with baking paper.  Set aside.

Sift the flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and cardamom together in a bowl.  Set aside.

Beat
 together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the
molasses and honey.  Dissolve the soda in the boiling water and beat
into the creamed mixture.  Beat in the flour mixture until smooth, then
beat in the eggs.  The  mixture will be runny.  Pour into the prepared
pan and bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 55 minutes, until well
risen and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.  Remove
from the oven and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before tipping out
onto a wire rack.  Carefully remove the baking paper.  Serve warm with
either whipped cream or ice cream.

Created using The Recipes Generator

 

Ice cream also goes very, very well . . . .  especially vanilla.  I didn't have any.  Actually (and don't go telling on me)  its awfully nice sliced thin and spread with butter while its still warm.  Shhh . . .  I'll deny everything.  Happy Sunday!