This week I decided to turn my Chef skills to baking a cake. I looked through several cooking books and spotted a yummy Classic Sticky Gingerbread.
I jotted down the ingredients and headed down to the Bristol catering supply shop. Once I got home I washed my mitts and cracked on with the cake.
Classic sticky gingerbread
225g/8oz butter, plus extra for greasing
225g/8oz light muscovado sugar
225g/8oz golden syrup
225g/8oz black treacle
225g/8oz self-raising flour
225g/8oz wholemeal self-raising flour
4 level tsp ground ginger
2 large eggs
300ml milk
1 Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3.Cut a rectangle of non-stick baking parchment to fit the base and sides of a tray bake or roasting tin (30 x 23 x 4cm/ 12 x 9xI1/2in). Lightly grease the tin, then line it with the paper, pushing it neatly into the corners.
I jotted down the ingredients and headed down to the Bristol catering supply shop. Once I got home I washed my mitts and cracked on with the cake.
Classic sticky gingerbread
225g/8oz butter, plus extra for greasing
225g/8oz light muscovado sugar
225g/8oz golden syrup
225g/8oz black treacle
225g/8oz self-raising flour
225g/8oz wholemeal self-raising flour
4 level tsp ground ginger
2 large eggs
300ml milk
1 Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3.Cut a rectangle of non-stick baking parchment to fit the base and sides of a tray bake or roasting tin (30 x 23 x 4cm/ 12 x 9xI1/2in). Lightly grease the tin, then line it with the paper, pushing it neatly into the corners.
2 Measure the butter, sugar, golden syrup and treacle into a medium pan and heat gently until the mixture has melted, stirring occasionally. Allow to cool slightly.
3 Put the flours and ground ginger into a large mixing bowl and stir together lightly. Beat the eggs into the milk. Pour cooled butter and syrup mixture into the flour with the egg and milk mixture and beat with a wooden spoon until smooth. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and tilt gently to level the surface.
4 Bake for about 50 mins, until well risen, golden and springy to the touch. Allow the gingerbread to cool a little in the tin, and then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely. Cut into squares.
Final verdict is: The consistency of the cake was very sticky and has kept for a week in a sealed container. I think that next time I will substitute half the treacle for syrup as the cake had a liquorice taste that I was not too keen on. I will also add crystallized ginger to the mix to add that little bit more spice.
Foot Note: Catering staff Bristol, Catering staff Bath, Chef, Chef hire, Chef agency, Waiting staff, wedding staff, bar staff, bar hire, permanent chef, contract catering, cocktail bar staff. South Wales, Cotswolds, North Somerset