Ginger Crunch

When my girls left for uni earlier in the year, I thought I would have lots of freedom and time to kill.  I didn’t realise there would be a demand for baking.  Apparently poor students miss home baking the most, and really appreciate “care packages”.  Chocolate brownie, and ginger crunch are the staples for my food care packages.  I find it is best to freeze, prior to sending, as it usually take 2 days for the package to arrive.

On Monday, I was at the post office again, sending another package off to my oldest daughter Joanna.  I chose the appropriate size bag, and went up to the counter to pay. The staff behind the counter said, I wasn’t really allowed to send baking through the post, as it was a perishable item.  Luckily the staff were flexible, and could imagine the poor students at the other end just waiting for the package to arrive. Can you imagine how upset all the students out there will be if the mothers and grandmothers stopped sending care packages!

The key to sending baking is to pack it tightly, so slices are ideal for sending. Joanna received her package 2 days later, and was enjoyed by flatmates and fellow students.

I started cooking ginger crunch, when I was 12 years old.  Along with helping my mother with the housework, it was my job to cook ginger crunch every Saturday.  I used the recipe from the good old “Edmonds Cookery Book”.  I remember that I couldn’t leave the baking to completely cool, otherwise the slice would split when I cut it. The ginger crunch was always very crunchy but delicious.  It has taken me a while to get back to cooking ginger crunch again.  I saw a recipe in the “Foodtown” magazine, once I tried it I was hooked again. The base is not quite as crunchy as the Edmonds version, and the topping is much thicker.  Enjoy.

GINGER CRUNCH

175g butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

2 cups plain flour

2 tsp ground ginger ( I use Mrs Rogers ground ginger)

2 tsp baking powder

Topping

150g butter, cubed

4 tbsp. golden syrup

3 tsp ground ginger

2 cups icing sugar, sifted

Preheat the oven to 180 deg C. Grease or line a 20 x 30 cm baking pan.

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, with an electric beater. Add the sifted dry ingredients. Use a spatula to combine ingredients.

Press the crumb-like mixture into the baking pan.  Bake for 20 – 25 minutes in preheated oven, or until slice is golden. The slice will be crunchier the more golden the it is.

While the slice is cooking, combine the topping ingredients in a saucepan.  Stir over a low heat until the ingredients are combined and smooth. Pour topping on still-warm slice and leave to set before cutting into pieces.