Sticky Ginger, Apple and Spice Loaf
Photography Claire Aldous.
The perfect winter loaf – fragrant spices, a touch of coffee and cocoa with chunks of juicy apple and topped with a drizzle of lemon icing. Best made one day ahead for all the flavours to mix and mingle.
INGREDIENTS
175 grams butter, chopped
¾ cup packed brown sugar
¾ cup golden syrup
2 teaspoons instant espresso coffee granules
¾ cup milk
2 eggs
2 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons cocoa
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground Chinese 5-spice
¼ cup chopped crystallized ginger
¼ cup pine nuts
2 crisp apples, peeled, cored and diced
Icing
1 cup icing sugar, sifted
2–3 teaspoons lemon juice
8 cup capacity loaf tin, greased and lined fully with baking paper
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 160°C fan-bake.
Put the butter, sugar, golden syrup and coffee granules in a medium saucepan. Heat slowly, stirring occasionally until the butter and sugar have melted. Take off the heat and whisk in the milk. Set aside until lukewarm. Whisk in the eggs until well combined.
Sift all the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Stir the golden syrup mixture into the dry ingredients, making sure there are no lumps. Fold in the ginger, pine nuts and apples.
Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for about 60 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool.
Icing: Put the icing sugar in a bowl and stir in just enough lemon juice to make a thick, smooth icing. Drizzle over the cake and top with extra chopped crystallized ginger and lemon zest if desired. Makes 1 loaf and keeps well for 3–4 days in an airtight container.
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126
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