Yuletide Gingerbread - dairy and gluten free

Who doesn't like sticky gingerbread, the prefect accompainment to present wrapping and one sure fire way of putting in the festive mood. 

This gingerbread is the sticky cakey kind and not the crunchy gingerbread man type of gingerbread, again not a beauty and a recipe that practically always sinks slightly in the middle but it has a beautiful spicy warmth with just the right amount of cloves. Easily made dairy and gluten free if required so its a recipe for all. 

A tip for you - lightly oil the container you measure the treacle in otherwise it will make a very sticky mess.

What you need

• 50g soft brown sugar
• 50g granulated sugar
• 120g quality vegetable margarine (dairy free) - I use Pure
• 1 large free range egg
• 150ml treacle
• 300g Self raising flour ( I have made this gluten free and it works fine, you may need to a little more water)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 heaped tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 heaped tablespoon ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• Pinch of salt
• 60ml of warm water

2lb loaf tin - oil sprayed and lined

What you do

• Prepare the baking tin
• Preheat the oven to 175c
• Cream the sugars and margarine in a mixer , until well mixed, fluffy and lighter in colour
• Add the rest of the ingredients to the mixer
• Mix quickly until you have a smooth mixture
• Scoop into the prepared tin and place in the pre heated oven
• Bake for 50 - 55 minutes
• Cool initially in the tin
• Remove from tin to a wire rack to cool fully
• Wrap and store in an airtight tin, if you can leave it for a few days its starts to go delightfully sticky.
• Delicious served with a cup of tea 

We are linking up to Love Cake over on JibberJabberUk , theme this month is "Festive Fun"

                                                        

Simply Eggcellent - with Dom at Belleau Kitchen, theme this month "Anything Goes"

                                                           

And finally Recipe of the Week with A Mummy Too.

                                                           

Pear, ginger and cardamon loaf

This is a perfect recipe for this time of year, slight spicing adds a warming note to this delicious bake, great served with a steaming mug of tea after a wild and windy walk, but also great as a pudding cake served with custard.

This loaf cake isn't going to win any prizes in the beauty stakes but is definitely a prize winner in the flavour stakes, I just love the moist fruity pear chunks and the crunch of the flaked almonds. It does have the habit of swallowing the pears and almonds into the cake but I still love it, its frugal too as it a good recipe to use up pears that are starting to become overripe. I am using British Conference pears here which have a great flavour, they aren't in season very long so make good use of them while you can.

So go on embrace the season and create a beautiful warm spicy fug in your kitchen as a perfect antidote to the weather outside, the Danish have a word for it Hygge, give it a try......

What you need

• 175g softened butter or quality vegetable margarine
• 1 tsp ground cardamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 175g light brown sugar
• 3 conference pears - peeled, cored and cut into 1/8ths
• 2 free eggs 
• 175g self raising flour (gluten free works fine)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp flaked almonds
• 2lb loaf tin - lined

What you do

• Pre heat the oven to 180c
• Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy in your stand mixer
• Add the flour and baking powder, spices,  and eggs to the bowl, mix until you a smooth mixture
• Place half the mixture into your prepared tin, roughly level with a palette knife, place roughly half of the pears (chopped into little cubes) in a layer on the cake mixture
• Top the pears with the rest of the cake mixture and places the rest of the pear slices on the top, sprinkle with flaked almonds
• Bake for 50-60 minutes until golden and cooked through.
• Cool in the tin for at least 20 minutes or so, perfect warm on its on or with cream or custard. Cold its great with a cup of tea.
• If you like serve cold with a dredging of icing sugar

We are linking up to Recipe of the Week over on AMummyToo 

                                                                 

And to Casa Costello's Bake of the Week 

                                                          

JibberjabberUk - Love Cake linky whose theme this month is Best of British

                                           

And two of my favourites Credit Crunch Munch from Fuss Free Flavours and Fab Food for All, hosted this month by Elizabeths Kitchen and No Waste Food Challenge from Elizabeths Kitchen, hosted this month by Its not Easy being Greedy.


                                             




                                                             

Spicy gingerbread loaf

This recipe is a firm family favourite and is pretty quick to whip up with the added bonus that its all made in one pan (less washing up, yeah I say). It has a lovely warm spicy flavour which is perfect with a cup of tea after a walk in blustery autumnal weather when you have been kicking through fallen leaves.

The sultanas are moist and juicy and really add something to this bake and it stores perfectly wrapped in an airtight tin, the recipe also has the bonus of making two loaf cakes.

What you need

• 1 cup of water
• 1 cup of granulated sugar
• 1 cup of sultanas
• 4 oz Quality margarine or butter
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 tsp mixed spice ( I used Lebuchen mix )
• 3 tsp ground ginger

Boil this for 10 minutes or so to allow the fruit to swell, then cool fully, add 2 eggs and 2 cups self raising flour and 1/2 tsp cream of tartar, mix well and pour into two 2lb loaf tins, bake in a preheated oven at 160c for 40-50 minutes.

Super easy, wonderful comfort food .......

This would also be served at a bonfire party or for revellers paying a visit trick or treating.

                                                          

                                          


I'm linking up this to Treat Petite hosted alternatively by Cakeyboi and The Baking Explorer, the theme this month is Trick or Treat.

                                                           

And also Bake of the Week over with Helen at Casa Costello

Ginger Zinger cake - gluten free and super easy

This is an amazing cake and I challenge you to even tell its gluten free, its light, moist and delicious and very very moreish. Based on a recipe from Honeybuns bakery book (Ginger hippo cake) but with a few creative twists this is a very popular cake in our household and was very well received when I published a few photographs on instagram. I named it Ginger zinger as it contains ginger in four different forms, yet the ginger still doesn't overpower the cake. The filling and topping is very different from what is suggested in the original recipe and I think adds a flavour twist to the cake.

The recipe features sorghum flour which is a tall grass grain which produces a soft white flour and is naturally gluten free, this is combined with ground almonds to create a moist cake with volume. I am also one for not wasting flavours or ingredients soI  decided to use the sticky ginger syrup the stem ginger is preserved in, to enrich the lemon buttercream.I am really pleased with the result and it stores beautifully in the fridge just covered with film wrap, serve in generous slices with a cake fork or spoon.

What you need

• 175g butter - melted 
• Oil spray and tapioca flour for the baking tins
• 100g of drained stem ginger - chopped fine in the food processor
• 4 eggs - free range medium size
• 175g light soft brown sugar
• 125g ground almonds
• 100g sorghum flour
• 2 heaped tsp ground ginger 
• 1 tsp baking powder

Buttercream filling

• 200g soft butter or half and half butter spread and butter
• 400g icing sugar
• Lemon juice (or lemon extract or fiori di sicilia essence)
• Ginger Syrup from stem ginger
• Chopped crystallised for sprinkling on top

2 x 8" sandwich cake tins

What you do

• Preheat the oven to 180c 
• Oil spray the tins and flour dust with tapioca flour, tap the tins to remove the excess
• Mix the finely chopped stem ginger, eggs, sugar, flour, ground almonds, ginger and baking powder and cooled melted butter in a large mixing bowl or stand mixer until you have a smooth mixture.
• Working quickly pour into the prepared tins, splitting the mixture equally between the two tins.
• Place in the oven and bake for 25 -30 minutes until golden, well risen and firm to the touch in the middle.
• Cool in the tins on a wire rack and once fully cool remove from the tins by loosening with a palette knife around the tin and up turning onto a tea towel.
• To make the buttercream whip the softened butter and icing sugar, syrup and lemon juice in a mixer, beat thoroughly for at least 7 minutes, until all the sugar has dissolved and the buttercream isn't gritty.
• Smooth just over half the quantity of buttercream on the base layer of the cake, top with the other layer and then create the topping buttercream.
• Smooth the rest of the buttercream on the top of the cake and sprinkle on the middle the chopped crystallised ginger.
• Ta dah ! Ginger Zinger Cake, best served slightly cool with a refreshing cup of tea. 

If you wished you could add another ginger or lemon layer to the flavours by using a ginger jam or lemon marmalade to fill the cake along with the buttercream.

Given the quantity of ginger contained in this recipe I am including this post in the link up for "The Spice Trail" hosted by Bangers and Mash

                                                      

I am also linking up to Casa Castello for Bake of the Week too, as I promised when I blogged this cake I would link up as it contains sorghum flour.


                                                       

Teryaki Chicken

Chicken Teryaki is a staple dish in the LF household, I think mainly due to the fact that its an easy dish to whip up after a busy day at work, it also tastes amazing and the only thing that you need to think about is ensuring that I have got the chicken breasts out of the freezer to thaw before I go to work. I love to serve this with egg and pea fried rice which is great as it uses frozen peas and is made with all storecupboard ingredients. I always have fresh ginger in the vegetable rack so I can make terayaki when ever the mood takes me, it lasts very well if kept in a cool dark place.

Terayaki is a Japanese method of cooking which creates a glaze of soya sauce (or if you are gluten free Tamari works fine), apparently the tera part means shiny and the yaki is the cooking method. The glaze here is from soya sauce, mirin and some brown sugar. I am sure the dish would work well with prawns or salmon also.

What you need

• 2 large skinless chicken breasts - chopped into bite sized chunks
• About 50g brown sugar
• 80ml mirin (rice wine)
• 60ml soya sauce or tamari (check thats is Gluten free)
• Salt and pepper
• Small piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated -about a thumb sized piece
• 1 medium red onion or 6 spring onions - peeled and chopped finely (I have used welsh onions too)
• 1 clove of garlic - peeled and finely chopped
• 1 tbsp seasame seeds - toasted
• Seasame oil or wok oil

What you do

• Firstly ensure you have all your ingredients ready to hand, prepared and ready to go as this is a really quick dish
• Start by heating the oil in the wok / frying pan
• In a bowl mix the brown sugar, soya sauce and mirin to make a sauce
• Fry off the chicken pieces , sprinkled with a little salt and pepper until golden
• Now add the ginger and garlic to the pan and cook for a minute or so
• Add the sauce mixture to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes as the sauce starts to reduce and thicken and become glossy.
• Add the onions to the pan and cook until they have wilted.
• The chicken should now be cooked, remove from the hob and sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds
• Serve with fried rice immediately

Maple syrup roasted carrot and ginger soup

Its been a wild weekend for weather in the UK and I am in need of comfort food and this soup certainly hits the mark on that score, using fresh local juicy carrots, a touch of warming ginger and the gorgeous smoky warmth of maple syrup this is a soup equivalent of a warm fluffy blanket.

Maple syrup is a natural product and I would love to go tapping maple trees but I don't think we can grow the right type of trees in UK, I have even found a website that tells you how to carry out the process.

On with recipe !

What you need

• 5 medium sized carrots, peeled and chopped into batons
• 1 white onion ,peeled- cut in chunks
• 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and cut into match sticks
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled but left whole
• 1-2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 500ml vegetable stock
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Chives to garnish

What you do

• Pre heat the oven to 200c 
• Place all the vegetables and ginger in a roasting tin and toss with the oil and maple syrup
• Bake for about 45 minutes until the vegetables are slightly caramelised 
• Allow to cool slightly and place in a  suitably sized saucepan, add the stock
• Blitz with a hand held blender until smooth
• Bring the soup to a gentle simmer and season to taste.
• Serve when piping hot, garnished with snipped chives.

We hope you enjoy the recipe, we did if you'd like to leave a comment then please do so below. We love reading your comments.

Elli's Grandma's Sticky Ginger Cake Recipe from The Ginger Baker

Firstly I have to thank Sharon from "The Ginger Baker" for allowing me to publish this lovely delicious GLUTEN FREE recipe on my blog. The Ginger Baker is a great Gluten Free bakery based in the beautiful Ribble Valley area of Lancashire, who is passionate about her product and she loves using Lancashire's finest produce in her delicious sweety delights. She supplies cafes and outlets across the county and also attends various food and vintage fairs as well. 

I wanted to feature this recipe as an honest to goodness easy family recipe but is especially fab as its Gluten free, I have a couple of coeliac mates and they would love this. Its really easy and is delicious and sticky if left for a couple of days to mature. I am fascinated to know why its Elli's Grandma's recipe and who is Elli, may be Sharon can let me know.

Ingredients

• 13oz Gluten free self raising flour
• 4oz butter - soft
• 10oz Light brown sugar
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1tsp bicarbonate of sugar
• 2tbsp Golden Syrup
• 2tbsp Treacle
• 1 large Egg (free range)
• 1 med cup boiling water

Method

• Preheat your oven to 170c
• Grease and line a square cake tin - approx 6 inches , quite deep too
• Place all the dry ingredients in your mixer bowl and mix for about 2 minutes until thoroughly mixed
• Now add your butter and mix until fine breadcrumbs
• Now mix in the egg, syrup, treacle and the boiling water ( depending on your flour will depend on the quantity of water)
• Pour into your prepared tin and bake fro 45 -60 minutes , until its cooked when tested with a skewer
• Cool in the tin and then store for a few days double wrapped until sticky 

Mocha Ginger Biscotti

Biscotti are hard italian biscuits, which are usually served with coffee as breakfast or a snack. I love all things Italian food wise and make a number of different of types of biscotti, I like the combination of flavours in this bake, chocolate, coffee and ginger, its a bit festive and smells wonderful when baking. It makes a great gift served in a pretty metal tin or clear glass "kilner" style jar decorated with ribbon. I am entering this recipe in Vanessa Kimbells blogsphere campaign "Lets make Christmas".

Ingredients

• 100g plain flour
• 30g cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 120g sugar
• 1/2 tbsp ground coffee
• 30g dark chocolate - roughly broken 
• 2 eggs beaten (use free range)
• 2 balls of stem ginger - finely chopped

Method

Heat your oven to 180c. Sieve flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in your food processor, add the sugar, coffee and chocolate. Process until finely ground. Add the eggs and process until you have a firm dough, don't panic if it looks fairly sticky, it will be OK, quickly add the ginger and fold in. If you need to make the dough looser add milk. Tip it out onto a floured board, gently form into a log and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn the oven down to 150c. Allow your log to cool, then using a serrated knife carefully cut into 1cm wide slices. Lie these on a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes until firm. Then allow to cool completely on a wire rack, then store in a jar or air tight tin.

http://writingacookerybook.blogspot.com/2011/10/lets-make-christmas.html

Chocolate ginger cake

I love ginger cake, the warming spice is one of my favourite flavours and now that the weather is starting to cool this is a great bake to make. This cake combines a traditional ginger cake recipe with chocolate. Everything is improved by adding chocolate isn't it !

Ingredients

• 150g butter
• 150g dark brown sugar
• 150g treacle
• 225g plain flour, sifted
• 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp bicarb
• 190ml milk
• 1 egg beaten
• 100g plain dark chocolate- chopped

You will need a 20cm square cake tin or a deep roasting tin - oiled and lined

Method

Heat the oven to 150c, melt the syrup, butter and sugar in a large pan over a low heat, then allow to cool slightly. Quickly add the flour, spices and bicarb, beat in and then the egg and milk, lastly add the chocolate chunks. Work quickly to mix until smooth, pour in your prepared tin and bake in your preheated oven for approx 40-50 minutes, until well risen and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin, can be consumed as soon as cool but benefits from being left to mature for a couple of days in an airtight tin to become sticky. 

Sticky Gingerbread cake

I normally bake at weekend and was inspired by a friend on facebook who was making Ginger cake so I decided to give a new recipe a try. The recipe proved very easy to make and produced 2 loaves of gingerbread.

Ingredients

• 225g self raising flour
• 1 tbsp ground ginger
• 1tsp bicarb
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 115g butter
• 115g treacle
• 115g syrup
• 115g dark brown sugar
• 275ml milk
• 1 egg - beaten

Grease and line 2 x 2lb loaf tins

Method

Preheat the oven to 180c . Start by sifting the flour, bicarb and spices into a bowl. Add the cubed butter and rub in like you are making pastry, you could use a food processor. Warm the treacle and sugar in a pan or in the microwave, do not boil. Melt the sugar in the milk by gently warming. Allow to cool until lukewarm.

Quickly mix the milk mixture and then the syrup mixture with the flour, then add the egg, mix well and then pour into the prepared tins.

Bake for approx 45 mins until when tested with a skewer and is fully cooked.

Turn out of tin when fully cooled, wrap and leave to go sticky for at least a day if you can resist that long .