First up, I decided to make a recipe I have not done for years. It was one of my favourites from Delia Smith's Book of Baking and was one of her very early books, since revised but I still have my original copy. Jean's Gingernuts was the recipe and Delia was quite clear that it was not hers but had been given to her by a good friend. Easy to make.
4oz (110g) self raising flour; 1 slightly rounded teaspoon of ground ginger; 1 level teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda; 1½ oz (40g) granulated sugar; 2 oz (50g) margarine; 2oz or two level tablespoons of golden syrup.
Sift flour, ground ginger and bicarbonate of soda together into a mixing bowl, add sugar then lightly rub in margarine until crumbly. All you do now is simply add the syrup and mix everything to a stiff paste. No liquid is needed because the syrup will be enough to bring it to the right consistency,
Note: add the syrup bit by bit as it is notoriously difficult to be exact with this sticky runny liquid and if you add too much the resultant mixture is impossible to work and you will end up with soft biscuits. So add it a bit at a time.
Divide the mixture into 16 balls. I am sure Paul Hollywood on the Great British Bake Off would insist that every single one was the same size, but I am not too bothered quite frankly. Place them on a greased baking sheet, leaving plenty of room between them as they will spread. Just flatten them slightly and bake a little above the centre of the oven for 15-20 mins (Gas Mark 5 (375F/190C). Cool on baking tray for 10 mins or so then transfer them to a wire rack to cool. Store in air tight tin.
I then decided to make a quick cake to take up to London the next day but decided not to make cup cakes as they really are a bit big for Florence so decided to make tiny ones. I mixed up a quick sponge mix (4os sr flour, 40z caster sugar, 4oz margarine and 2 eggs all bunged in a bowl and mixed together) which I then baked in a 7 inch sponge tin. When turned out and cooled I made some glace icing, covered the sponge, a few sprinkles on top and then I cut out small rounds with a tiny pastry cutter.
They looked really sweet, were just the right size for Florence and less fuss than cupcakes. A winner all round.
