VegetarianEast Midlands English cuisine Baking

Ashbourne Gingerbread

Name: Ashbourne Gingerbread
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: East Midlands English
Ingredients: 250 g Plain flour; 2 tsp ground ginger; 0.5 tsp ground mixed spice; 0.25 tsp Ground nutmeg; 0.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda; 100 g Unsalted butter; 100 g soft light brown sugar; 3 tbsp golden syrup; 1 medium Egg

Delicate, pale spiced biscuits with crisp edges and a warming ginger aroma, traditionally baked in the market town of Ashbourne.

🇬🇧United Kingdom· East Midlands

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 15 min
Total: 35 min
Servings: 8
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 210 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 9 gathered

Servings

250 g Plain flour — plus extra for dusting
2 tsp ground ginger — sifted
½ tsp ground mixed spice — sifted
¼ tsp Ground nutmeg — freshly grated if possible
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda — level
100 g Unsalted butter — cubed
100 g soft light brown sugar — firmly packed
3 tbsp golden syrup — lightly warmed
1 medium Egg — beaten

Equipment

•baking tray
•greaseproof paper
•mixing bowl
•small saucepan
•rolling pin
•wire rack

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 210 kcal
fat: 8 g
carbs: 32 g
fibre: 1 g
protein: 3 g
calories: 210 kcal

Instructions

1
Preheat your fan oven to 160°C and line two large baking trays with greaseproof paper.
2
Sift the plain flour, ground ginger, mixed spice, nutmeg, and bicarbonate of soda into a large mixing bowl.
3
Melt the unsalted butter, soft light brown sugar, and golden syrup together in a small saucepan over gentle heat on the hob.
4
Pour the warm melted syrup mixture and beaten egg into the dry ingredients.
5
Stir with a wooden spoon until a smooth, soft dough comes together.
6
Roll the dough out on a lightly floured worktop to 5mm thickness.
7
Cut the dough into neat rectangles or traditional gingerbread shapes using a floured cutter.
8
Arrange the cut dough onto the prepared baking trays, leaving 2cm space between each biscuit.
9
Bake for 12 to 14 minutes until the edges are just set and faintly golden, keeping the tops pale.
10
Leave the biscuits to cool on the trays for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to crisp completely.

Chef's tips

Watch the biscuits closely towards the end of baking. Authentic Ashbourne gingerbread should remain pale in colour rather than turning a dark golden brown. If the dough feels too soft to roll easily, chill it in the fridge for 15 minutes.

Ingredient substitutions

golden syrup → runny honey
soft light brown sugar → caster sugar

Storage

Store the cooled biscuits in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to two weeks.

Reheating

Reheating is not recommended as these biscuits are traditionally served crisp and cool.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Overbaking the biscuits until dark brown, which spoils their delicate flavour and pale appearance.
•Rolling the dough too thin, causing the gingerbread to become brittle rather than lightly crisp.

Serving suggestions

Serve alongside a fresh pot of loose-leaf English breakfast tea.Pair with a scoop of clotted cream vanilla ice cream.Offer as a crisp sweet treat with mid-morning coffee.