Jamaican Gingerbread Food

JAMAICAN GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Lightly butter loaf pan, line bottom with parchment or wax paper. Butter paper, dust pan with flour; set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl cream butter, molasses, honey and brown sugar with electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs one at a time mixing well after each addition. Add sour cream, lemon zest and vanilla; beat to combine (it may separate slightly and look funny but don't worry).
• Sift flour, baking soda, salt and spices. Fold into batter with rubber spatula.
• Spread batter in prepared pan.
• Bake until toothpick comes out clean, about 55-60 minutes. If using mini-loaf pans bake time about 30 minutes.
• Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Turn out out of pan and peel off paper. If not serving immediately, cool completely before wrapping.
• If you wanted to gild the lily you could drizzle a lemon glaze over the top or frost with a cream cheese frosting or some good ole whipped cream would be marvelous.

JAMAICAN GINGER SPONGE PUDDING

Steps:

• Butter a 1.2-litre pudding basin, then press a disc of baking parchment into the base. Heat 4cm water in a heavy-based pan and add a trivet or upturned bowl or saucer to the base.
• Sieve the flour, baking powder and bicarb into a large bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, ginger, allspice, cinnamon and ½ tsp fine salt and stir everything together. Wrap the end of the frozen butter in foil and, holding it by the foil end, coarsely grate the butter into the dry ingredients. Unwrap and discard the foil to grate the last piece. Fold everything together so the butter is evenly distributed. Mix in the stem ginger, eggs, treacle, sugar and milk. Spoon into the pudding basin, leaving a small gap for the sponge to rise, and cover with a disc of parchment. Seal the pudding basin with a tight-fitting lid or a double layer of foil, sealed tightly around the basin and tied with cook's string. Set on top of the trivet, cover with a lid and steam for 3 hrs, topping up with water so it doesn't boil dry.
• Pour the syrup into a shallow frying pan, bring to the boil and cook until the syrup is turning a deep golden brown. Quickly whisk in the rum and butter, then whisk in the cream and bubble for 2 mins. Gently tip the sponge pudding out of its basin and onto a serving plate. Pour over the rum sauce and serve with thick cream or vanilla ice cream, if you like.

JAMAICAN GINGER LOAF CAKE

Steps:

• Grease a 2lb loaf tin (900g) with greaseproof/parchment paper. Preheat the oven to about 170C or 160C fan.
• Place your black treacle, golden syrup, dark brown soft sugar and dairy free spread into a saucepan with 70ml of water. Gently heat and stir until completely melted. (Don't allow it to boil!)
• Sift your flour and spices into a mixing bowl and then add your warm syrup/treacle mixture to it. Beat together using a wooden spoon until lovely and smooth.
• Add half your beaten egg and mix thoroughly, then repeat with the other half.
• In a small dish, add 2 tbsp of water to the bicarbonate of soda, mix until well combined and then add to your main bowl too. Mix once more. Your final mixture should now look nice and smooth, with a runny consistency.
• Pour your mixture into the loaf tin and bake for 60 minutes.
• Once baked allow to cool. The cake should be almost firm to touch, but will firm up more as it cools.

DAMP JAMAICAN GINGERBREAD (ENGLISH RECIPE)

Steps:

• Line a buttered 2lb loaf tin with greaseproof paper and paint the paper with a little melted butter.
• My tin measures 6½ x 3¾ inches at the base and is 3 3/8 inches high.
• Do not use a smaller tin as the mixture rises above the rim of the tin.
• Measure the molasses, syrup, sugar and butter into a saucepan with ½ cup of water, gently heat on a medium/low flame and stir gently until thoroughly melted and blended.
• Don't let it boil!
• If it gets very hot, allow the mixture to cool slightly.
• Sift the flour, and spices into a large bowl.
• Mix the baking soda with the milk and set aside.
• Next add the syrup mixture to the flour and spices, a little at a time and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth with no flour lumps.
• Beat in the eggs a little at a time.
• Add the baking soda and milk.
• Pour the mixture into the tin and bake in the center of oven at 325 F convection (300 F fan assisted) for 1 to 1¼ hours, until it's well risen and firm to the touch.
• Allow to cool for 5 or 10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.
• Once cool, put into a tin for 24 hours then enjoy.

JAMAICAN GINGER BEER

Steps:

• Remove 1/2 cup of the boiling water and set aside to cool to lukewarm.
• Combine remaining boiling water, 2 cups sugar, ginger, honey, and lime juice in a large plastic container.
• Mix the 1/2 cup lukewarm water, 1 cup sugar, and yeast together in a separate bowl. Let stand until the yeast softens and begins to form a creamy paste, about 5 minutes; stir into ginger mixture. Cover container and let sit for 3 days. Skim foam from top, strain liquid, and pour ginger beer into clean storage containers; chill.