I love ginger, so this recipe incorporates three kinds: ground, fresh and stem. Despite that, it’s a very light gingerbread. Serve cold for an afternoon snack, or warm to finish off dinner with thick double cream or creme fraiche.
Serves 8
unsalted butter 60g, plus more for the tin
dark brown sugar 125g, plus a few extra pinches
fresh ginger 2½cm piece, grated
free-range egg 1
milk 100ml
self-raising flour 115g
ground ginger 1 tsp
cardamom pods 3, seeds ground, pods discarded
baking powder ½ tsp
slim pears 4, halved
stem ginger in syrup 1 ball, roughly chopped
Preheat the oven to 160C fan/gas mark 4, and line and butter a 28cm x 22cm roasting or baking tin with non-stick or greaseproof paper.
Beat the 60g of butter and the sugar together until smooth, then whisk in the fresh ginger, egg and milk. Stir in the flour, ground ginger, ground cardamom and baking powder, and mix briefly until combined. Tip the batter into the lined tin, then arrange the halved pears, cut side up, across the cake. Scatter a pinch of dark brown sugar and a few bits of chopped stem ginger over each pear, then transfer to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the cake is risen and firm to the touch.
Let the cake cool down in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring it, with its paper, to a wire rack to cool a little. Serve the gingerbread warm or at room temperature.
• Notes
As it has fresh fruit in it, you’ll have to store any leftover gingerbread in the fridge. Warm slices through briefly in the oven or microwave before serving.
From The Quick Roasting Tin by Rukmini Iyer (Vintage Publishing, £17.99)
