Sticky Gingerbread Cake

This is a real crowd-pleaser.  If you can't wait for the stickiness to develop then eat it warm as a dessert with a good dollop of custard or cream!

Plain flour – 280g
Bicarbonate of soda – 1 tsp
Ground cinnamon – 1 tsp
Ground ginger – 1 tbsp
Stem ginger, chopped – 4 tbsp
Salt – ¼ tsp
Unsalted butter, softened – 170g
Light muscovado sugar – 90g
Golden syrup – 220g
Egg - 1
Milk – 200ml

1. Heat the oven to 170°/gas 3-4.

2. Line the base of a 20 cm square cake tin with greaseproof paper (buttered sides).

3. Sift the flour with the bicarbonate of soda, ground ginger, cinnamon and salt.

4. Cream the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy.

5. Whisk in the golden syrup, then add a heaped tablespoonful of the flour mixture followed by the egg.

6. Whisk in the remaining flour, followed by the milk, until the mixture forms a smooth batter. Stir in the stem ginger.

7. Scrape into the prepared tin. Bake for about 50 minutes until firm to the touch.

8. Test by inserting a skewer deep into the centre. If it comes out clean then it is done.

9. Allow the gingerbread to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, and then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool.

Tip: If you wrap the cooled cake in greaseproof paper, then foil and store in an airtight container for a couple of days it develops into an even stickier gingerbread cake.

A word about cookbooks

Like many of you I have a plethora of cookbooks, ranging from the 50p markdown ones in garden centres and charity shops through to my old Cesarini and Kinton ones from the good old days! I may occasionally grouch about Mr Oliver but I still have his books.


Treat them as an aid to your culinary skills not as the 'be all and end all'. They should inform and guide you not rule with an iron fist. yes, some recipes need more careful following (such as baking) but be brave and EXPERIMENT!

I do have some favourites however and one of these is Jun Tanaka's 'Simple to Sensational'. Quite simply it is outstanding. It is the only cookbook I have bought that has prompted me to email the chef/author to congratulate them on their work (and he did reply, before you ask!).

Andrew

Roasted Beetroot, Shallots and Carrots with Honey and Mustard

This one comes via a conversation I had with my sister tonight who has become beetroot obsessed!  A taste sensation of an accompaniment to a main course or spectacular cold with some crumbled feta or Blacksticks Blue cheese on top.


Serves 4


Fresh beetroot: peeled/scrubbed and cut into quarters - 6


Shallots: peeled and left whole - 8


Carrots: peeled, halved and cut into inch long sections - 6


Mustard (wholegrain or Dijon) - 2 tbsp


Honey - 3 tbsp


Sunflower oil - 2 tbsp


Salt and pepper 


1. Pre-heat the oven to 190°C/Gas Mark 5 and place a suitably sized (see step 4) roasting tin in it.

2. Place the oil, honey and mustard in a microwave proof container.

3. Heat this mixture in the microwave for 30 seconds (based on an 800 watt microwave) or in a saucepan over a LOW heat for 2 minutes.  You are seeking to loosen the viscosity of the mixture.

4. Place the vegetables in a pre-heated roasting tin which comfortably accommodates them - neither cramped nor too spread out.

5. Pour over the oil, honey and mustard blend.

6. Add the desired amount of salt and ground black pepper and toss the vegetables until fully coated.

7. Place in the pre-heated oven and roast for approximately 35 minutes, turning the vegetables once halfway through cooking.

An alternative flavour to add here is some chopped rosemary.