Ginger Crunch Recipe — SARAH HORTH

I am continuing my What Would Nana Do challenge, and trying to limit convenience food when food shopping. This is a treat recipe, and what a treat it is! It has to be one of my most favourite recipes, perfect for lunchboxes, a treat with coffee or something to take to friends.

My favourite baking recipe of all time is Ginger Crunch. It is a classic New Zealand recipe that has many fans - and I'm sure you will be a fan too if you make it. It doesn't look showy like a frosted cupcake, but the taste and texture is so good. It’s the kind of cookie that kids try and say it’s their new favourite.

I've adapted my recipe from the one in the book Ladies, A Plate by Alexa Johnston. I prefer a crunchy biscuit / cookie with a higher ratio of fudgy icing. And no need to break out the mixer as this recipe cuts the butter in.

This has a magic ingredient called golden syrup, which is not common in the US. I have found it in my local upmarket supermarket Metropolitan Market, so you could try in a similar type of supermarket (in the sugar/baking area) or from Amazon. It is like a light treacle and adds a caramel flavour that can't be copied. It’s made from boiled-down sugar, and I will try to make it in a future post. It’s delicious in bran muffins and I have a chocolate cake recipe it really adds depth to or you could put it on pancakes. A little goes a very long way!

*Pro tips: run hot water over the tablespoon before trying to scoop up the syrup as it helps. If you really can’t find it, you could try a smaller amount of treacle and see how that tastes, or leave it out. It won’t be as good, but still will be delicious. I’ll be doing some more recipes using it in the future so it won’t just sit in your cupboard not being used, there are lots of delicious things made of it.

Ingredients

For the cookie part:

115gms / 4 oz sugar
200gm / 7oz plain flour
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp baking powder
115gm / 4 oz butter

For the icing part:

115gm / 4 oz butter
2 tbsp golden syrup
4 tsp ground ginger
115gm/4 oz icing sugar (powdered sugar)

Preheat the oven 350F or 180C (not convection unless you lower the heat) with the rack in the middle. Line a 12" x 8" / 30 x 20cm tin with baking paper. I usually spray or grease the tin lightly at the beginning just to make the paper stick in place.

For the base:

You can either put the dry ingredients in a large bowl or a food processor and give them a quick mix. If using a bowl, cut the butter up into small pieces and then rub it into the dry ingredients. If using the processor, drop the butter in and process until the mixture looks like small crumbs.

Pour the crumbs into the tin and press down firmly with your finger-tips. It will seem dry but it comes together when you bake it. If you want it to look more even, I put baking paper on the top and roll a can over it to get it smooth.

Bake for 20-25 mins until golden brown. Keep an eye on it, my oven takes exactly 20 mins!

For the icing:

While the cookie has been in the oven for about 10 minutes start making the icing. Put the butter, golden syrup and ginger into a small pot and melt over a low heat, stirring gently. When they have melted, add the sifted icing sugar and mix. It'll be quite runny (and fudgy and delicious).

Take the cookie base from the oven and pour the icing over it. Spread the icing with a spatula.

Cut it into fingers or squares while it is still hot and then leave in the pan to cool (it will be very hard to cut later). Break along the cuts once cooled and keep in an airtight container. Delish!