Bake of the Week: Gingerbread with Lime Icing

WE love this ace recipe for gingerbread. It’s really easy to make but mixing things up a bit by adding zesty lime icing as a topping adds a new twist to a traditional classic.

It’s from chef Kevin Connolly, who leads the team at Dalkeith’s Restoration Yard.

If you fancy a day out that includes shopping, a cafe and even a Wellbeing Lab, it’s where you should head. You can even take in a yoga or Pilates class while you’re there.

You’ll need

For the gingerbread

320g plain flour

22g ground ginger

9g mixed spice

16g bicarbonate of soda

226g of butter plus extra for greasing

256g caster sugar

180g golden syrup

320ml milk

For the topping

300g icing sugar

1 lime

Method

Preheat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas mark 2 and line a 30cm x 7.5cm loaf tin with non-greaseproof baking parchment.

Sieve together the flour, ground ginger, mixed spice and bicarbonate of soda, then set aside.

In a thick-bottomed pan heat the butter, sugar, syrup and half of the milk until the sugar has dissolved and the butter is melted.

Remove the pan from the heat and add the rest of the ingredients. Beat well until you have a smooth batter with no lumps.

Pour into the lined loaf tin, then pop in the oven for 35 minutes. Once ready it should have a nice spring to it. To test it, insert a clean knife or skewer into the centre – it should come out clean.

Carefully remove from the tin and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Zest the lime and set the zest to one side before juicing. Mix the icing sugar, gradually, with water – a drop or so at a time – until you have a thick paste. Add the lime juice and mix well.

Once the gingerbread is cool, pour the icing over the top and sprinkle lime zest to finish.