Gran's Ginger Gems Recipe

Ginger Gems are a lovely classic recipe, made in a traditional gem iron (if you don't have one, there might be one in your gran's cupboard!). This recipe is a household favourite of our friend Mrs C, whose family used to whip up a batch of these wee beauties whenever they needed to "take a plate". We love them warm from the oven with a good slather of butter!

Ingredients
57g unsalted butter
¾ cup sugar
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 ½ cups plain flour
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp golden syrup
1 egg
¾ cup milk
 
Method
Preheat your oven to 220°C. Brush your gem iron with a small amount of melted butter and place into the hot oven to heat up.
 
Cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the egg and golden syrup. Add in the flour and ground ginger. Add the bicarbonate of soda that has been dissolved in the milk. Fold all the ingredients together gently.
 
Carefully remove the gem iron from the oven, using protective oven mitts (not tea-towels - it will be hot). Place the iron onto a wooden board to protect your benchtop. Quickly spoon the mixture into the irons, filling each one about ¾ full.
 
Carefully pick up the iron and place back into the very hot oven – bake for approximately 10 minutes. Remove from the oven when the gems spring back from a touch on the top.
 
Tip the gems onto a clean tea-towel; they should slip out if you have buttered your gem iron well.
 
Repeat the process if you have any leftover batter. Allow the gems to cool slightly before slicing down the centre and adding a good slather of butter inside.