Gingernuts - The Great British Book of Baking

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Now playing: Seals & Crofts - East Of Ginger Trees
via FoxyTunes


I am loving this book found in an after-Christmas sale. I will have fun cooking all the recipes in order, even though I already cooked a few out of order. Here is the first installment, as I start over from the beginning. Each recipe I have tried thus far has surpassed expectation.

The book has many beautiful illustrations of the different areas of Britain as related to the recipes. The recipes come from a television series where the baking was judged. There are recipes from home cooks all over Britain.





Stem Gingernuts- with a small change. Also, I have converted this for American kitchens.

12 oz. (350 g.) self-raising flour
1 tbsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. baking soda
3.5 oz. (100 g.) baker's (caster) sugar
3.5 oz. (100 g.) dark brown sugar (muscavado) sugar - The small change.
4 oz. (115 g.) unsalted butter
3 oz. (85 g.)golden syrup
1 egg, beaten
*2 lrg. pieces stem ginger (drained and finely chopped)

Preheat oven to 325deg. F (Gas mark 3)

Sift flour, ground ginger, baking soda, and baker's sugar in a bowl. Mix in the dark brown sugar. Gently melt the butter with the syrup, cool to barely warm. Pour this mixture into the mixing bowl of dry ingredients. Add the egg and stem ginger and mix with a wooden spoon. When combined roll into 24 walnut sized balls, using your hands.

Arrange on greased baking trays. Space them apart to allow for spreading. Bake for 15- 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Cool on a wire rack.





Enjoy with a hot cuppa!




*Stem ginger can be a bit difficult to find at stores in the states, at times (in my area anyway). I usually get mine at my local Asian market, even they have short supplies sometimes. The alternative is to make your own:

Stem Ginger recipe:
1 lb fresh ginger root, peeled and scrubbed and cut into 2 inch pieces
1 1/2 cups water
1 lb sugar

Peel, scrub and rinse roots, then soak in cold water overnight. Discard water.


Place in a pot and just cover with water. Bring to a boil. Drain and repeat process 3 or more times.

Make a syrup from the 1 1/2 c. water and sugar. Add the ginger root and bring to a boil.

Cool and refrigerate.