350g self-raising flour
pinch of salt
200g caster sugar
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
115g unsalted butter
90g golden syrup
1 large (US extra large) egg, beaten
150g preserved stem ginger in syrup, drained and coarsely chopped OR crystallised/candied ginger
Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F) Gas 3.
Line three baking sheets with baking parchments, or if you don’t have three like me then one will do and you can just bake your cookies in batches.
Dice the butter and put it in a small, heavy pan with the syrup. Heat gently, stirring, until the butter has melted. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool until just warm.
While the butter and syrup is cooling, sift the flour into a large mixing bowl, add the salt, caster sugar, ground ginger and bicarbonate of soda and stir to combine.
Pour the butter mixture over the dry ingredients, then add the egg and two-thirds of the ginger. Mix thoroughly, then use your hands to bring the dough together.
Shape the dough into approximately 20 large balls, depending on the size you require. Place them, spaced well apart, on the baking sheets.
Gently flatten the balls, then press a few pieces of the remaining preserved stem ginger into the top of each of the cookies.
Bake for about 12-15 minutes, depending on the size of your cookies, until light golden in colour. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 1 minute on the baking sheets to firm up before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
I stored them in a metal tin (featured here) and they were still wonderful and crunchy 2 days later.
Delicious! Enjoy.
