VegetarianNorth West English cuisine Baking

Grasmere Gingerbread

Name: Grasmere Gingerbread
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: North West English
Ingredients: 225 g Plain flour; 100 g fine oatmeal; 175 g Unsalted butter; 175 g dark muscovado sugar; 2 tbsp ground ginger; 0.25 tsp Ground nutmeg; 0.25 tsp Fine sea salt; 0.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda; 30 g crystallised ginger

A legendary Cumbrian spiced bake that crosses crisp biscuit with chewy cake, packed with fiery ground ginger and rich brown sugar.

🇬🇧United Kingdom· North West England

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 30 min
Total: 45 min
Servings: 12
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 240 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 9 gathered

Servings

225 g Plain flour — sifted
100 g fine oatmeal — or coarse oat flour
175 g Unsalted butter — chilled and diced
175 g dark muscovado sugar — soft brown sugar also works
2 tbsp ground ginger — heaped for robust heat
¼ tsp Ground nutmeg — freshly grated
¼ tsp Fine sea salt — to balance the spice
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda — for gentle rise and texture
30 g crystallised ginger — finely chopped

Equipment

•20cm square baking tin
•greaseproof paper
•mixing bowl
•sharp knife
•wire cooling rack

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 240 kcal
fat: 11 g
carbs: 33 g
fibre: 1.5 g
protein: 3 g
calories: 240 kcal

Instructions

1
Preheat your fan oven to 160°C and line a 20cm square baking tin with greaseproof paper.
2
Place the plain flour, fine oatmeal, ground ginger, nutmeg, sea salt, and bicarbonate of soda into a large mixing bowl.
3
Add the chilled diced butter to the dry ingredients.
4
Rub the butter into the flour mixture using your fingertips until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
5
Stir in the dark muscovado sugar and finely chopped crystallised ginger, breaking up any sugar lumps.
6
Reserve four tablespoons of the crumb mixture in a small bowl to use as the topping.
7
Tip the remaining mixture into the lined tin and press down firmly and evenly with the back of a spoon.
8
Scatter the reserved crumb mixture loosely across the pressed surface.
9
Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes until the edges are lightly golden and firm.
10
Remove from the oven and score into twelve neat squares with a sharp knife while still warm.
11
Leave the gingerbread in the tin to cool completely before lifting out and breaking along the scored lines.

Chef's tips

Press the base layer down firmly with the back of a metal spoon to guarantee a chewy centre. Always score the squares while the slab is hot from the oven, as it hardens quickly and will crumble if cut cold. The flavour matures and deepens pleasantly after resting for twenty-four hours.

Ingredient substitutions

dark muscovado sugar → light soft brown sugar
fine oatmeal → rolled porridge oats pulsed briefly in a food processor
unsalted butter → firm plant-based block butter

Storage

Store the squares in an airtight biscuit tin between sheets of greaseproof paper for up to two weeks.

Reheating

Warm individual pieces in an oven preheated to 140°C for 4 to 5 minutes to restore a soft, fragrant warmth.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Cutting the slab after it has cooled completely, which causes it to shatter into irregular crumbs.
•Pressing down the top crumb layer, which ruins the classic textured, powdery crust.
•Overbaking the slab, which dries out the crumbly centre and eliminates the signature chewy bite.

Serving suggestions

Serve at room temperature with a freshly brewed pot of English breakfast tea.Pair with a sharp wedge of Cumbrian farmhouse Cheddar cheese.Enjoy slightly warmed alongside a scoop of rich vanilla ice cream.