Ruth Pretty's Ginger Kisses Recipe
These Ginger Kisses are one of Ruth Pretty’s most requested recipes, and it’s easy to see why.
Softly spiced little cakes are filled with lemony cream cheese frosting, finished with a generous spoonful of salted caramel, and topped with crisp ginger crunch.
They’re nostalgic, a little bit special, and made with the kind of care that turns home-baking into a gift.
Make them for someone you love, someone you’re thinking of, or someone who could do with a little sweetness at their door.
For the Ginger Kisses
- 140g flour
- 100g brown sugar
- 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons powdered ginger
- 1⁄4 teaspoon mixed spice
- 1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 180g golden syrup
- 115g butter, roughly diced
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 125ml milk
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 375g cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon finely grated zest of one lemon
- 30ml lemon juice (juice of one lemon)
- 375g icing sugar, sifted
For the Salted Caramel
- 75g caster sugar
- 35g unsalted butter, diced
- 150ml cream
- 1⁄2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt
For the Ginger Crunch
- 3 tbsp butter
- 2 cups gingernuts, coarsely crumbled
- 2 tbsp Demerara sugar
- 1/2 tsp five spice powder
To Make the Ginger Kisses
Preheat oven to 150°C. Lightly grease 2 trays of little cheesecake moulds with baking
spray.
Into a large bowl sift flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, ginger, mixed
spice, nutmeg and cinnamon. In a small saucepan set over a low heat place golden
syrup and butter and melt. Do not allow the mixture to boil.
To the dry ingredients, add the golden syrup mixture followed by egg and milk.
Quickly combine ingredients well using a whisk (this is a very wet mix). As soon as
possible pour into prepared tins, aiming to fill 20 moulds (not 24!)
Place in oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until metal skewer comes out clean.
When cooked leave in tin to cool completely before turning out.
Slice each cake horizontally and thickly spread top of cake base with Cream Cheese
Frosting. Onto Cream Cheese Frosting place the top halves. Thickly frost top of
cakes with Salted Caramel. Top with Ginger Crunch.
To make the Cream Cheese Frosting
In a medium sized bowl beat cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add lemon
juice and zest and combine well. Add icing sugar and beat until combined and
frosting is smooth.
To make the Salted Caramel
Place sugar into small heavy-based saucepan set over a low heat. As it cooks, brush
down sides of saucepan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. Do not stir the
sugar at any stage. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and
bring to the boil. Cook without stirring until syrup begins to brown. As it cooks
move saucepan from side to side to move sugar around so it colours evenly.
Once a light caramel has formed, reduce heat to medium, add butter and half of the
cream. Be very careful, as the mixture will bubble up. Stir continuously to
encourage caramel lumps to dissolve and to prevent burning. Once incorporated
add remaining cream.
Reduce heat to a simmer and steadily simmer until reduced by 25% or mixture
measures 165ml. Caramel will be thick. Remove from heat. Add vanilla and salt
and stir to combine.
Set aside and cool to lukewarm and then proceed. Alternatively refrigerate until
required but bring back to room temperature before using.
To make the Ginger Crunch
Preheat a frypan onto a medium heat. Add butter and melt. Add remainder of ingredients and using a scraper toss ingredients together until crumbs are crispy. Cool.