So lets talk Gingerbread. Not something I've ever really craved before, but at the weekend my goodness I suddenly craved it sooooooo badly I felt like my world might cave in if I didn't have it. If I didn't know better, I would've thought I was pregnant as the craving was so strong. Just like the time I HAD to eat a whole packet of Fruit Sherbets when I was in my first trimester carrying Little B. But no no no, definitely not preggers and no more Little People in the Attic thank you, three's quite enough.
These pages I'm showing you are from last months Country Homes and Interiors (December Issue), so you can see quite clearly how I've been subliminally brainwashed inspired into desiring the whole gingerbread thing.
Doesn't it all look completely beautiful? Festive and homely, gently spiced and delicious. So on Saturday morning, full of gingerbread excitement, I scribbled down a list of ingredients and practically ran to the shops to purchase them.
Saturday jigged along and the ingredients sat in a sweet pile in my kitchen. Golden syrup and black treacle, eggs, flour, sugar and spices. But there was no time! I could not manage to shimmy the gingerbread-making into Saturday no matter how much I wanted to.
Sunday morning though, and nothing was going to stop me. I love love love to bake on a Sunday morning, I put my apron on over my pyjamas and it makes me feel incredibly homely and content. I had Little Lady helping me do gingerbread on Sunday, she even put on her sweet little apron that I made her out of an old tea towel when she was three years old.
I settled for making the Iced Gingerbread recipe, described as a "festive tray bake". It involved putting all the runny ingredients in a pan and bubbling it up a bit, stirring in the dry ingredients, pouring the resulting gloopy mixture into a tray and baking it. The resulting tray bake then had to cool, be sliced in half horizontally (a harder-than-it-looks procedure), then sandwiched back together with a butter cream/orange filling and smothered in a melted chocolate/sugar/butter concoction.
Oh boy. The smell of all this happening in my kitchen was incredible. I could not stop sniffing it all in. Ginger and orange zest and chocolate, sniff-sniff-sniff....mmmmmm-mmmmm.
I loved every bit of the mixing, whisking, bubbling, pouring, baking, beating, sandwiching, melting, smothering and decorating. It was such fun! A bit lengthy, but definitely heaps of satisfying, beautifully scented fun.
And here is the finished article, well a little part of it. I chose to add some little milk and white chocolate shapes to the top of my ginger tray bake, just to provide a final flurry of pretty sweetness.
So how did this gingerbread actually turn out?? It certainly looks great, and oh it smells divine. Taste wise, yes, it hit the spot beautifully. Just enough spice, not too sweet. Truthfully, I think I over baked it slightly as the texture is a wee bit dry. I forget that my oven is a hot one, and that I maybe should've reduced the suggested baking time a little.
But overall, this makes for a yummy, scrummy, seasonal bit of Sweet Stuff to accompany morning coffee or afternoon tea. Definitely one to try again, next time the Gingerbread Craving hits.
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ps sorry I'm not able to provide the actual recipe as it was published in the magazine and I have to respect their copyright.
This looks SOOOOOOOO great .... I just borrowed one of my mum's recipee books to look up how to make "shaked ginger bread" ... which means you take all ingredients and - well, SHAKE. ;)
A very nice way to spend Sunday morning. :)
Posted by: Julia M. | December 12, 2011 at 10:29 PM
Looks delish! I have a favorite gingerbread scone recipe I use when the gingerbread craving strikes:)
Posted by: Martha | December 12, 2011 at 10:37 PM
LOL you have inspired me to bake some gingerbread for dessert! Scrounging up the ingredients as I type! =)
Posted by: Laura | December 12, 2011 at 10:45 PM
Hi Lucy The Trouble Maker...LOL
I'll be DREAMING of Iced Ginger Bread..:-) It looks so good!!!
I have to find the recipe for that!!!
Susan
Posted by: Susan | December 13, 2011 at 12:45 AM
I can almost smell it through my laptop!! I am going to run to the pantry immediately and whip some up. You've got me obsessed now! My husband will be thrilled - it's his favourite. Have a fab week hon.
Leah
x
Posted by: Leah | December 13, 2011 at 04:05 AM
I had to go and get a copy of that magazine when I saw the delicious cake. Lucy, thank you for all your amazing inspirational house decorating ideas, and scrumptious recipes;not to mention awesome crochet projects and family outing info. that makes me want to gather my family and take them all on a fun adventure involving walking through woods and along the beach, picnics and stops for tea and cake. You have inspired me to learn to crochet, and add colour to my boring, muted colour palate home. I need to stop rambling now and wish you and your family a wonderful Christmas and a new year filled with more creativity than I can shake a stick at.
Posted by: Cate | December 13, 2011 at 05:50 AM
Love, love, LOVE gingerbread - I could smell this post all the way Downunder! Enjoy this delicious treat made with so much enthusiasm and care :-)
Posted by: Angy Braine | December 13, 2011 at 07:41 AM
Oh no! I was just about to have breakfast while reading your post and now all I want is a piece of gingerbread! Which I don't have and cannot make, because a) mine would definitely turn out wonky, collapsed and slightly burned, and b) better excuse: I'm off to take a plane. I'll be spending the holidays with my family-in-law in Spain without internet connection, so I'm wishing you a Very Merry Christmass already, Lucy! :-) xxxx
Posted by: Nanita | December 13, 2011 at 09:12 AM
Yum!I adore gingerbread ... haven't made any yet this year though. Yours looks delicious.
Posted by: Liz | December 13, 2011 at 09:43 AM
Oh the little Lady's apron made me smile... I have those tea towels at home :)
The gingerbread looks divine. I can't wait to be done with work next Tuesday so I have baking time at home!!
xMx
Posted by: Marie | December 13, 2011 at 09:49 AM
Gorgeous, I'm going to see if I can find a similar recipe online and give it a go!
Posted by: Jayne | December 13, 2011 at 10:31 AM
Your gingerbread looks lovely. You've made me fancy some now!
Love the sweet apron too.
Posted by: Sally | December 13, 2011 at 10:35 AM
Being German, Gingerbread is always on the menu (as is Stollen - yum!) your looks delicious and 'little lady' looks adorable in her stripey apron...:)
Posted by: Heike | December 13, 2011 at 12:36 PM
Love gingerbread and the more ginger the better! Looks yummy!
Posted by: elsa | December 13, 2011 at 01:42 PM
That looks so good. I can also highly recommend the gingerbread cupcake with lemon cream cheese frosting recipe from the Hummingbird Bakery cook book.
Posted by: Vicky Hammerstein | December 13, 2011 at 02:58 PM
Wait a minute... treacle must be molasses! I always wondered what "treacle pudding" was when I read Dickens.
"America and England, two countries separated by a common language," right? lol!
Posted by: tizabell | December 13, 2011 at 04:36 PM
Looks delish! So funny to read about You and Little Lady baking gingerbread.My youngest came in from school yesterday wanting to make gingerbread cookies for her friends.With a twist...She turned gingerbread boys and girls into gingerbread zombies!Teenagers!:)Got to love'em.We had headless cookies,cookies with missing body parts.Even one holding a head!The kitchen was full of laughter.The Girls had a grand time with it.When My girls were little I dreamed about being in the kitchen baking with them around the holidays...BUT NEVER in my wildest dreams could I have come up with this!So be fore-warned,who knows what You'll be baking in the future:)Heres to traditions!
Posted by: angela-southern USA | December 13, 2011 at 04:38 PM
Darn it! Now I'm craving GingerBread!
Looks oh, so good!!!
Posted by: Debbie Johnson | December 13, 2011 at 04:58 PM
Oh YUM!
Posted by: Claire | December 13, 2011 at 05:17 PM
Oh, my goodness, you are making me so hungry. That issue only just came out on this side of the pond and I loved that feature too. Not just the gingerbread, but the decorating style is spot on for me. Merry Christmas!
Posted by: Kari | December 13, 2011 at 05:47 PM
I like the edible decorations you put on top of the frosting. Did you make them or is it something you buy?
Posted by: Bambi | December 13, 2011 at 08:31 PM
Dear Lucy gingerbread at Christmas yummy and the smell when cooking.
Usually I make biscuits in the shape of houses and use writing icing to make the patterns for the roof,door and windows. Just waiting until next week to make some.xx
Posted by: Sarah west mids uk | December 13, 2011 at 09:37 PM
Oh my gosh, this looks absolutely delicious! I can almost smell it from here... : )
Posted by: Carolyn | December 13, 2011 at 09:43 PM
Gingerbread is what my daughter (12 & 2) are settling down to make on our Baking Day (22 Dec) ready to give as pressies....can't wait!
Also doing choccie traybakes and something else...not sure what (rocky road, flapjack, cookies?) can't decide!
Mmmmmm all this talk of baking is making me hungry :) Yours looks fabulous Lucy, thanks for sharing.
By the way how are Little Ladys knitty projects doing?
K x
Posted by: KayElleC | December 13, 2011 at 09:57 PM
Scrummy. Just added golden syrup and treacle to my shopping list. X
Posted by: Sarah | December 13, 2011 at 11:23 PM