GINGER CAKES WITH WHIPPED CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Ginger, golden syrup, treacle and chocolate… what’s not to love? You can make these using individual loaf moulds, but a 12-hole muffin tin or a single large loaf tin would work just as well.

MAKES 12 INDIVIDUAL CAKES OR 1 LOAF CAKE

TEA MATCH Brisk Ceylon pairs beautifully with spicy ginger. Try Fortnum & Mason’s Afternoon Blend (with milk).

FOR THE CHOCOLATE GANACHE

130g milk chocolate 180ml whipping cream 2 tsp honey

2 tsp liquid glucose

FOR THE CAKE

110g unsalted butter, at room temperature 110g soft dark brown sugar 1 egg

225g plain flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

110g golden syrup 110g black treacle 250ml whole milk 100g stem ginger, finely chopped

★ Break the chocolate into 2cm pieces and place in a heatproof bowl. Pour half the cream into a saucepan, add the honey and liquid glucose and slowly bring to the boil. Pour the cream mixture over the chocolate in three stages, stirring each time, until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Whiz with a hand-held stick blender, then add the rest of the cream. Cover and place in the fridge to chill for 6 hours.

★ Beat the butter and sugar for

the cake together in a bowl with an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, then add the egg and beat again to combine. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and spices into a separate bowl, stir to combine, then mix into the butter and sugar mixture in three stages, beating to combine completely each time. ★ Preheat the oven to 180C/ 160C fan/gas 4. Pour the golden syrup, treacle and milk into a small saucepan and heat gently, stirring with a whisk until the mixture is uniform – don’t let it come to the boil. Pour the treacle mixture into the other ingredients and add the stem ginger. Beat to combine.

★ Pour the cake mixture into greased individual loaf moulds, a greased 12-hole muffin tin or a greased large loaf tin. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or 50 minutes if cooking in one large loaf tin, until a skewer inserted comes out clean and the top of the cake bounces back when you press it gently.

★ Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool completely before gently running a knife round the sides to release them. When the ganache has chilled, remove it from the fridge and use an electric whisk to beat it to soft peaks. Transfer the ganache to a piping bag and pipe on top of the cakes, or use a spatula to gently spread the ganache over.