Gingernuts

Here's my new favourite recipe for gingernuts, taken from A Cook's Book of Baking: Butter, Sugar, Flour from Murdoch Books.

Gingernuts

Makes 50

250 g (9 oz/2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon mixed (pumpkin pie)spice
125 g (4 1/2 oz) unsalted butter, chopped
185 g (6 1/2 oz/1 cup soft brown sugar
60 ml (2 fl oz/ 1/4 cup) boiling water
1 tablespoon golden syrup or maple syrup (I use treacle)

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C (350 degrees F/Gas 4). Line two baking trays with baking paper.

2. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, ginger and mixed spice into a large bowl. Add the butter and sugar and rub into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

3. Pour the boiling water into a small heatproof jug, add the golden syrup and stir until dissolved. Add to the flour and mix to a soft dough with a flat-bladed knife. 

4. Roll into balls using 2 heaped teaspoons of mixture at a time. Place on the prepared trays, allowing room for spreading, and flatten out slightly with your fingertips. Bake for 15 minutes, or until well-coloured and firm. Cool on the trays for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining mixture. When cold, store in an airtight jar.

Also check out this recipe for banana bread - I tried it this week, and it's fantastic!