Esther’s Gingerbread (gluten free)
This recipe has quite a following it’s a favourite of Wellington caterer, Ruth Pretty & chef Al Brown. A “shared” recipe, passing unchanged from person to person because it is so good. It originated from Esther Woollaston, a quilter friend of mine who gave me the recipe back in the early 1990’s – I have adapted it slightly to make it gluten free.
INGREDIENTS
280g gluten free plain flour
200g brown sugar
1 teaspoon gluten free baking soda
1 teaspoon gluten free baking powder
4 teaspoons ground ginger
½ teaspoon mixed spice
½ teaspoon nutmeg
360g golden syrup
225g butter, roughly diced
2 eggs, lightly beaten
250ml milk
METHOD:
Preheat the oven to 150°C.
Grease and line two loaf tins (25.5 x 13.2 x 6.5cm)
In a large bowl sift the flour, brown sugar, baking soda baking powder and the spices together – mix the dry ingredients well.
In a microwave proof bowl, gently melt the golden syrup and butter for one minute on high. Stir together allowing the heat of the golden syrup to melt the butter. Hold to one side.
Add the butter and syrup mixture to the dry ingredients, followed by the lightly beaten eggs and milk. Whisk everything together until the batter is smooth and glossy.
Pour the batter into the tins so they are three quarters full and cook for one hour and 10 minutes or until a skewer when prodded into the gingerbread comes out clean.
Cool in the tins for 30 minutes before turning out on a cake rack to cool.
TO SERVE:
Slice and slather with beautiful butter for afternoon tea or with a creamy, blue cheese (Kapiti’s Kikorangi) and butter on the cheese board or for dessert, serve the gingerbread warm with poached fruit and custard…