Gingerbread

"And had I but one penny in the world, thou should'st have it to buy gingerbread."
--William Shakespeare Love's Labour's Lost

Today we are going back to the British Isles to make a beloved classic, gingerbread. I got this particular recipe from a dear friend of my mom's, Hollis. This is an old family recipe of hers passed down from her great grandmother who lived in England until she was 14. At that age she moved to Canada to become a nanny. The family ended up being a bit crazy, so she left them for her husband, a musician, around the age of 16.

The Brits started adapting sweet gingerbread recipes in the 16th century, but gingerbread itself came long before that. It dates all the way back to the ancient Greeks and Egyptians who used it for ceremonial purposes. As a side story, the first gingerbread man is accredited to Queen Elizabeth I. She had a gingerbread man cookie made to look like each dignitary in attendance at her feast.

The gingerbread loaf (not sure what else to call it) itself made the house smell so delicious! Everyone that came in commented on the spicy aromas coming from the kitchen. It was in the oven for 40 minutes for me, so definitely check it at the 40 minute mark.


The sauce takes about twenty minutes to thicken, so don't worry about it if it takes a while. Stir it occasionally on a medium heat (it should be boiling).


Gingerbread

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup dark molasses
1 cup hot water
2 1/2 cups sifted flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Cream the butter and sugar; add the egg and beat well.

2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and spices. Combine water and molasses, and add alternately with the dry ingredients.

2. Grease an 8x8-inch pan. Line the pan with greased wax paper. Pour in the batter and bake for 50-60 minutes.

Pudding Sauce

1. Bring to a boil 1 3/4 cups water. While the water is heating, beat together a pinch of salt, 1 cup sugar, and 1 Tablespoon flour in a saucepan.

2. Mix 1 egg yolk with 2 Tablespoons cold water and add to the sugar mixture in the saucepan. Slowly add the boiling water and cook until thick--it should be about the same consistency as a medium-thin white sauce.

3. Remove from the heat, add 1 Tablespoon butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla while it is cooling.

4. Serve over warm gingerbread, and sprinkle nutmeg on top.