Spiced Gingerbread with Dried Fruit Compote, Salted Caramel Sauce and Mascarpone

Grease and line a 25cm x 31cm deep baking dish (I used a roasting pan) with baking paper. Preheat the oven to 170°C.

Gingerbread: Heat the butter and golden syrup together ina saucepan and whisk to combine. 

Sift the flours, baking soda and spices into a large bowl. Add the caster sugar. Whisk the eggs and milk together, then add with the butter and golden syrup to the dry ingredients. Fold all together and pour into the prepared baking dish. 

Bake for 35 minutes or until the middle bounces back when lightly pressed. Cool in the tin for 20 minutes before turning out.

Dried fruit compote: Halve the figs, prunes and pear halves. Put the apple cider in a saucepan with the sugar, golden syrup and ground ginger. Whisk to combine and bring to a boil. 

Add the ginger slices, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, add all the dried fruit and simmer for 10 minutes. Allow fruit to cool in the syrup. The slices of ginger can be removed before serving, if desired, as they are for flavouring, not for eating.

Salted caramel sauce: Prepare the caster sugar and cream. Add the butter and sea salt and whisk until smooth. Pour into a clean jar and store in the fridge until ready to use. Reheat by microwaving briefly or on the stove top. (Makes about 1½ cups.)

To serve: Slice the gingerbread into 12–16 pieces to serve, drizzled over salted caramel sauce, with a scoop of mascarpone and ginger fruit compote on the side. Serves 12–16.