Apple and Orange Gingerbread

Gingerbread was my grandad’s favourite cake and my mum would always bake a batch to take with us when we went to visit. I remember it being dark, sticky, and laden with treacle/molasses and syrup—just how gingerbread should be.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS Apple and Orange Gingerbread

1 stick butter
1⁄2 cup black treacle/molasses
Scant 1⁄4 cup golden/light corn syrup
2 tablespoons dark soft brown sugar
1⁄2 cup milk
2 eggs
3⁄4 cup plus 1 tablespoon gluten-free plain/allpurpose
baking flour
1 cup ground almonds
1 teaspoon mixed spice/apple pie spice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda/baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Finely grated zest of 2 small oranges
1 large apple, cored and grated
1⁄3 cup flaked/sliced almonds
Icing/confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
A 14 x 10-inch cake tin/pan, greased and
base-lined

COOKING DIRECTIONS

- Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Put the butter, treacle/molasses, syrup, and sugar in a saucepan and heat gently until the butter has melted and the sugar dissolved. Whisk in the milk, set aside to cool for 10 minutes then beat in the eggs.

- Sift the flour into a mixing bowl and stir in the ground almonds, spices, bicarbonate of soda/baking soda, vanilla extract, orange zest, apple, and almonds.

- Pour the treacle mixture into the dry ingredients and mix well. Pour the batter into the prepared tin/pan and bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, until the gingerbread is firm to touch but still soft. Remove from the oven and let cool in the tin/pan. Dust with icing/confectioners’ sugar and cut into squares to serve.

This gingerbread will keep for up to 3 days if stored in an airtight container.

TD&N Nutrient Analysis (per square): Calories: 195; Total Fat: 11 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g; Monounsaturated Fat: 4 g; Cholesterol: 42 mg; Sodium: 99 mg; Carbohydrates: 23 g; Fiber: 1 g; Protein: 3 g

Recipe used with permission from The Gluten-Free Baker: Delicious Baked Treats for the Gluten Intolerant by Hannah Miles, photography by William Reavell, published by Ryland Peters & Small, www.rylandpeters.com