It is fantastic to have time for baking and today I found Jane Grigson's English Food in a second hand book shop. In it I spotted a recipe for Grasmere Gingerbread and this has transported me back to my childhood. I have a memory of eating this cross between a cake and a biscuit wrapped in waxed paper, on holiday in the Lake District with my grandparents. On this holiday I almost came to a sticky end on Lake Windermere in rowing boat which was caught in the path of a large paddle steamer. I did, however, survive to eat more gingerbread! You can still buy Grasmere Gingerbread today in a little shop by the church yard where William Wordsworth is buried. The recipe for Sarah Nelson's Gingerbread is a secret and held in a safe in Ambleside. Apparently this recipe gives similar results. I can't wait to give it a try.
250 g Plain Flour or fine oatmeal
or 125 g of each
1 tsp ground ginger 1/4 tsp baking powder 150g lightly salted butter 125 g soft brown sugar
Mix the dry ingredients together. Melt the butter over a low heat and when tepid use to bind the mixture. Line a roasting tin with baking paper. Spread the mixture over the tin in a thin layer, pressing down lightly. Bake until golden brown at 180 c or gas mark 4.
This definitely sounds worth a try. Maybe something new for the cafe? And I love your new header! K x
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