Gingerbread recipe

This has been requested by both the guests who have eaten it in the past week, so yer tis (sorry I don't have a piccy though).

GINGERBREAD:

(serves 14 to 18 - less if Greedy!)

1lb (450g) plain flour
6 rounded teaspoons ground ginger
2 rounded ditto mixed spice
2 1/2 level tsp. bicarb. of soda
8 oz (225g) mixture of butter or margarine or cooking fat
8 oz (225g) golden syrup
8 oz 9225g) treacle or molasses
4 oz (125g) dark brown soft sugar (I usually omit this)
4 grade 3 eggs
1/2 pt (275ml) cold milk
2 tblspn cold water

Well grease and line a tin of about 11" x 9" x 1 1/2" (27.5 x 22.5 x 4cm) - though I usually use a loaf tin or a 10" circular tin. Set oven to 300 deg. F 9150 deg. C), Gas 2.

Sift first four dry ingredients into a bowl. Put fats, syrup, treacle and sugar into a pan and melt gently over a low heat. Do not boil. Beat together eggs, milk and water.

Make a dip in the centre of the dry ingredients. Pour in egg mixture, followed by the melted mixture. Stir briskly without beating, making sure you work in all the flour. I will add at this point that I often have terrible trouble doing it this way and have been known to have to push it all through a sieve because I have lumps of flour! Its the warmth of the melted stuff I think, makes the flour glutinous. I am going to try adding the flour to the wet mix next time . . .

Transfer to prepared tin and bake in oven for 1 - 1 1/4 hrs or until wwell risen and deep brown and a skewer inserted in middle comes out clean. You may need lnger if you have it in a deeper pan.

Leave in tin for 15 mins to cool and then lift out carefully onto wire cooling raack. Store in an airtight tin when cold and keep cool (warmth will make it go mouldy). I put mine in a plastic freezer bag in the fridge.

There are variations on this: Double gingerbread is made by tossing 4 oz (125g) finely chopped and drained preserved ginger into the mix.

Brandied gingerbread has a liqueur glass of brandy over the top and left to sink in - having made holes with a thin metal skewer.

Fruity gingerbread: Toss in 4 oz (125g) raisins or sultanas to dry ingredients.

Date gingerbread: Toss in 4 oz (225g) finely chopped cooking dates.

Chocolate gingerbread: ass recipe but use 14 oz (400g) plain flour and 2 oz (50g) cocoa powder and increase water to 4 tblspns.

Chocolate fruited gingerbread: as above but add 2 oz (50g) mixed dried peel into mix.

Iced Orange gingerbread: Make any of the above and allow to mature for at least 1 day. Tie a band of greaseproof paper around the sides of the gingerbread to prevent icing trickling down. Mix 6 oz (157g) sifted icing sugar to a thickish icing with strained fresh orange juice. Spread over top of gingerbread and leae until set. Decorate by sprinkling with finely grated range peel then add a few halved glace cherries in decorative design. Remove paper before cutting.