Saturday 3 August 2013

Crystallised Ginger Biscuits


It feels like I've not baked for a long time so it was really good to get back into the kitchen and bake something. Last month was hectic and I do apologise for the lack of posts here and will try to post more frequently this month. As I'm hosting AlphaBakes this month, I thought I'd better get stuck in and make something before the end of the month. The letter this month is G which immediately made me think of ginger which I actually hate. However, almost everyone I know loves ginger so I knew there would not be a lack of taste testers for the recipe. 

I chose a recipe from Jo Wheatley's A Passion for Baking. She quizzed her team of biscuit tasters to find out which flavour they preferred and the response was ginger. I didn't know this but Jo doesn't like ginger either! I have to say I did taste one and it really was very good although it was very gingery! The biscuits are crunchy on the outside with a strong taste of crystallised ginger. I loved the chocolate bit on top! 

As mentioned I'm entering this to AlphaBakes which I co-host with Caroline from Caroline Makes. The letter this month is G for ginger. 


I'm also entering them to Feel Good Food hosted by Victoria at A Kick at The Pantry Door as the ingredient this month is ginger.





 lots of sugar and spice!

 crystallised ginger 


 the chocolate square did not melt into the cookie as I thought but remained whole and utterly delicious when you bite into it. 

Recipe reproduced with permission from the author Jo Wheatley. Taken from her book A Passion for Baking page 186

Makes 18-20

90g unsalted butter
110g demerara sugar
40g light muscovado sugar
250g plain flour
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon flavourless oil (sunflower or groundnut) * 
75g crystallised ginger, chopped
10 squares of dark or white chocolate

* I found my dough to be quite crumbly so I added an egg which worked well. Jo says that there was a typo in the book and the quantity of oil should be increased - I'll update once I know the correct amount. 

  • Preheat the oven to 180C. 
  • Cream the butter with the sugars until lights and fluffy.
  • Sift the flour, ground ginger and cinnamon into the bowl and mix again. 
  • Add oil and ginger and process until combined.
  • Add an egg or more oil until you get a smooth dough.
  • Scoop a small mound of dough into your hand and roll into a ball.
  • Place on a lined baking tray and flatten slightly with the palm of your hand. 
  • Repeat with the remaining dough.
  • Cut each chocolate square in half and push one piece into the top of each biscuit. 
  • Bake for 15-17 minutes until golden brown and firm.
  • Cool on the baking trays. 



10 comments:

  1. Delicious! I've grown to love ginger more and more in my old age- as a child, upon eating anything remotely gingery I'd screw my face up in disgust!

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    1. I still dislike it but perhaps it will change as I get older!

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  2. These sound delicious - I love ginger, and I always feel like I'm doing my tummy some good by eating it too :-) Thanks for linking up with Feel Good Food!

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    1. Thanks for letting me know, I'm sure you'll get a lot of entries as ginger is good 'G' for AlphaBakes too :)

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  3. Ginger is one of my favourite flavours - I cannot comprehend not liking it! These look great

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    Replies
    1. Most people look at me like I'm mad when I say I don't like ginger!

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  4. I made something similar recently and they turned out really well -are you converted to liking ginger?

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    1. Nope still not converted but everyone else liked it :)

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  5. I love the taste of gingen. This sounds like a yummy biscuit.

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    Replies
    1. They were really yummy and thats a compliment from a non ginger lover :)

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