Grasmere Gingerbread Recipe
A blast from the past
I used to live near Grasmere. A quite beautiful place in the heart of the English Lake District it’s main purpose as far as I was concerned was as a watering hole following an invigorating walk around Rydal Water on a damp and misty morning.
For me Grasmere symbolises the stereotypical 1950’s English village which the foreign tourists love to see; quiet, old fashioned, quaint and framed by incredible natural beauty. One of our best loved poets, William Wordsworth lived in Grasmere for a time and described Grasmere as ‘The loveliest spot that man hath ever found’.
I only ever visited Grasmere out of season, I would make the most of the quiet tea rooms to spend an hour reading The Times, drinking tea, chatting with the owner and, best of all, eating Grasmere gingerbread.
Sarah Nelson is the recognised genius behind all of this though the gingerbread was already popular before she began making it. Way back in 1844 she began selling her recipe which she wrapped in vegetable parchment and sold as ‘none genuine without trademark’, much the same as it is today. The recipe unsurprisingly was a closely guarded secret but what is surprising is that it isn’t actually a cake or bread as you might expect, think more in terms of a biscuit.
A Recipe For Grasmere Gingerbread
250g/8oz plain flour or fine oatmeal or equal quantities of each. 125g/4oz soft brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon ground ginger 150g/5oz lightly salted butter.
Mix all of the dry ingredients together. Melt the butter over a low heat and leave to cool a little. Pour over the dry ingredients to bind together. Line an oblong baking tin with a baking sheet and spread the mix over in a thin layer, pressing it down gently. Bake in a pre heated oven (180 degrees C./350F/mark 4) until golden brown, about half an hour. Remove from oven and score mix into desired sizes, leave to cool in the tin.
Miles,
I hear the call of the gingerbread… dunked lightly into china tea, a real treat.
Cid
April 21, 2008 @ 11:52 am
Cid,
Get the kettle on
April 21, 2008 @ 4:19 pm
Miles
Quick and easy to make… I chose to use half flour, half oatmeal and mine came out like a sort of gingery digestive biscuit…. a dunkable delight!
Cid
April 21, 2008 @ 7:45 pm
Miles,
I am out of biscuits and shall test this recipe this week. Watch this space ~
Elsie
April 21, 2008 @ 8:17 pm
Cid,
Well done, glad you bothered to give it a go. Save some for the 23rd
Miles
April 21, 2008 @ 9:32 pm
Miles,
I have filled my biscuit tin today after testing this recipe. I used all plain flour as I only had rolled oats which I thought may not be fine enough. Anyway, the Gingerbread is delightful and crunchy and very quickly made from stock in the cupboard. Thank you.
Elsie
April 23, 2008 @ 6:38 pm
Elsie,
Glad it worked out-enjoy your elevenses!
Miles
April 23, 2008 @ 10:34 pm