Just as the weather warms up and thoughts turn to lighter, brighter things, I come along and hoyke out a recipe for gingerbread.
I know, I know, it’s not something that instantly goes together with thoughts of daffodils and all things bright and spring-like, but it’s something that I needed to make. I had been thinking about it for ages, so it had to be done.
Besides, gingerbread can be eaten at any time of year, right? Just because the spices are typical of the colder months, that doesn’t make this wrong, does it? In fact, it makes me happy, because it means I can legitimately use ground cloves when the sun is shining. And I am all for that. I think there should be more of it. Ground cloves . . . err . . . what’s the monthly equivalent of 24/7?? 12/12??? 365/12???
Let’s move on.
Although I have shown this with butter, you can eat it happily without. It is just that, this butter . . . this butter has little salt crystals in it and so team those with the slightly sweet, definitely spiced gingerbread and . . . well, I’m sure you get the idea. It’s pretty much a perfect match. Salty, sweet, fragrant. Gah!
The perfect antidote to the fact that there is a lot of floral flavours doing the rounds at the moment. Pinterest, please take note, just because I have called this blog The Pink Rose Bakery does not mean I want everything I make to taste of pink roses. I don’t. Really. Rose flavoured and scented items are not anywhere near my list of top things to consume and use. Honestly. Please stop suggesting rose flavoured drinks to me. It ain’t gonna happen.
*mini rant over* Does anyone else get weird suggestions from Pinterest? Or Amazon for that matter. I mean, you spend a few minutes looking at Vitamix blenders and wondering if you should get one or not and all of a sudden it thinks you are also interested in scuba gear and pneumatic drills. I mean, where is the connection? Where?
Back to the gingerbread :
Instead of the usual applesauce in this loaf cake thingy, I substituted some butternut squash puree. If you have some hanging around (just blend some left-over roasted squash with a little water, as long as you haven’t covered it in herbs etc.) great, but if not you can use applesauce. It is such a small amount that’s needed, I can forgive you.
Gingerbread
Ingredients:
- 1 cup pitted dates, chopped
- 3/4 cup (180ml) ginger beer, your choice whether it is sugar-free or not.
- 1/2 cup sweet rice flour, aka glutinous rice flour
- 1/4 cup ground almonds
- 1/4 cup fine cornmeal
- 1/4 cup gram flour
- 1/4 cup buckwheat flour
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1 tsp gluten-free baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup oil
- 30g butternut squash puree, or unsweetened apple sauce
- 30ml treacle
- 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
Method:
- Pre-heat the oven to 180 Celsius / 160 fan / 350 Fahrenheit. Line a 2 lb loaf tin with non-stick baking paper.
- Place the dates and ginger beer in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil then remove from the heat and set aside.
- In a medium bowl mix together all the dry ingredients.
- In a separate smaller bowl mix together the egg, oil, butternut squash puree, treacle and almond milk.
- Add the wet to the dry and stir to combine.
- Add the date / ginger beer mixture and stir.
- Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 45 – 55 minutes, until risen, firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store in an air-tight container.
Ā© The Pink Rose Bakery 2015
Adapted from my Date & Raisin Breakfast Loaf
The Pink Rose Bakery 
Yum! Now, are you going to take this a stage further and try for ontbitjkoek? I still dream about that, especially the version with crystallised chopped fruit on top, and those little nuggety bits of sugar crystal…
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It is on the list of things to try . . . I am just mulling over what combination of flours will give the right texture . . .
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What would work instead of rye… Tricky one, because the flavour and texture is so distinctive. I really hope you crack it!
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I’m thinking brown teff, mixed with other stuff. We’ll see . . .
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I’ve never tried teff, I’ll have to see what the healthfood shop has.
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Strange – I’ve never thought of adding ginger beer. What a wonderful idea! I tend to add treacle, which makes it dark and caramel-like.
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It was one of those spur of the moment things! I was trying to think of ways to add more gingery-ness and it suddenly popped into my head.
There is a little bit of treacle in this too. After all, it is not gingerbread without a bit of treacle!
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Ha! I’ve been in the same spice mood and am making some ginger-molasses cookies today, but I haven’t decided on the recipe yet. Your bread recipe is definitely going into my collection.
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Ooh, ginger-molasses cookies! Yum!
I think sometimes we have so much of the light fresh flavours that our tastebuds go “nope, something spicy and fragrant now please”. Either that or it is my obsession with Christmas flavours that needs satiated! š
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