Best 3 Damp Jamaican Gingerbread English Recipes

DAMP GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• First weigh out the syrup into a small saucepan, it helps to place the opened tin in a pan of barely simmering water for 5 minutes to make it easier to pour. Then weigh a saucepan on the scales, and weigh the syrup into it. Then add the butter to the saucepan and melt the two together over a gentle heat. Meanwhile measure the dry ingredients into a bowl, then gradually pour in the syrup mixture, mixing thoroughly. Now beat the egg and milk together in a separate basin then add that bit by bit, again mixing very thoroughly. The cake batter will seem very liquid at this stage but that's quite normal so don't worry, just pour it into the prepared tin and bake near the centre of the oven for about 50 minutes or until the centre is springy. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire tray to cool. When it's cold, cut it into squares and store in an airtight tin.

DARK JAMAICAN GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• Begin by placing the tin of black treacle (without a lid) in a saucepan of barely simmering water to warm it and make it easier to measure (see this recipe for weighing treacle). Sift the flour and spices into a large bowl, then mix the bicarbonate of soda with the milk and set it on one side. Now measure the black treacle, golden syrup, sugar and butter into a saucepan with 75ml of water, heat and gently stir until thoroughly melted and blended - don't let it come anywhere near the boil and don't go off and leave it! Next add the syrup mixture to the flour and spices, beating vigorously with a wooden spoon, and when the mixture is smooth, beat in the egg a little at a time, followed by the bicarbonate of soda and milk. Now pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake on a lower shelf so that the top of the tin is aligned with the centre of the oven for 1¼-1½ hours until it's well-risen and firm to the touch. Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out. If possible, store it in a cake tin, still in its lining, for 24 hours before eating, and serve it cut in thick slices spread with butter. You can see more Loaf Cakes in our Online Cookery School Video

ENGLISH GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease a 10-inch by 8-inch by 2 1/2-inch square cake tin and line it with grease-proof paper on the bottom and sides. Brush with one to two tablespoons melted margarine.
• Combine the remaining margarine in a small saucepan with the molasses and corn syrup and heat gently until melted. Remove from heat. Sift the bicarbonate of soda, plain and whole wheat flours (returning the whole wheat "flakes" left in the seive) into a large bowl.
• If using a food processor, put half the flour with the eggs, sugar, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger into the bowl fitted with the steel blade. Add the margarine-molasses mixture and process until smooth. Add the remaining flour (the bowl will be quite full) and process, adding a little milk if necessary to make a smooth mixture of dropping consistency. If working by hand, beat the eggs and add them one by one to the margarine mixture. Add to the flour with the sugar and spices and blend until smooth.
• Add the crystallized ginger and raisins to the mixture and turn it into the prepared tin. Bake in the center of the oven for one-and-a-half to two hours or until a thin skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. The gingerbread should have begun to shrink away from the sides of the tin and the center should be springy to the touch.
• Remove the gingerbread from the oven and allow it to cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Brush the top liberally with molasses and sprinkle with chopped ginger, pressing the pieces into the surface. Allow to cool and remove from the baking tin. At this point the gingerbread can be cut into four loaves and stored separately in airtight cake tins. It keeps for several weeks in a cake tin but it may also be frozen.