Friday, June 8, 2007

Chocolate Gingerbread

This is very rich, very strong: not for children, but perfect for the rest of us.

FOR THE CAKE

  • 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons superfine sugar
  • 3/4 cup golden syrup or light corn syrup
  • 3/4 cup black treacle or molasses
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 tablespoons warm water
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
  • 6 oz package or 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

FOR THE FROSTING

  • 2 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
  • 1/4 cup ginger ale

Preheat the oven to 325F and tear off a big piece of parchment paper to line the bottom and sides of a roasting pan of approximately 12 x 8 x 2 inches deep.

In a decent-sized saucepan, melt the butter along with the sugars, golden syrup, treacle or molasses, cloves, cinnamon and ground ginger. In a cup dissolve the baking soda in the water. Take the saucepan off the heat and beat in the eggs, milk and soda in its water. Stir in the flour and cocoa and beat with a wooden spoon to mix. Fold in the chocolate chips, pour into the lined pan and bake for about 45 minutes until risen and firm. It will be slightly damp underneath the set top and that's the way you want it.

Remove to a wire rack and let cool in the pan. Once cool, get on with the frosting.

Sift the confectioners' sugar. In a heavy-based saucepan heat the butter, cocoa and ginger ale. Once the butter's melted, whisk in the confectioners' sugar. Lift the chocolate gingerbread out of the pan and unwrap the paper. Pour over the frosting just to cover the top and cut into fat slabs when set.

Makes about 12 slabs.

See the stockists page for suppliers of golden syrup, liquid amber in glorious culinary form that once you've tried, you're hooked on.

from Nigella Lawson

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