Oaty ginger crunch

Photographer: Adam

Nothing beats a beautiful slice of ginger crunch along side a nice cup of tea. Dedicated fans will have a favourite style, from the purist form of a plain shortcrust base with an equal depth of icing to those with‘creative extra’s’ like mine (surely you can make most things better with pistachio nuts?).It’s spicy, buttery and sweet which fulfills all the necessary criteria for the kind of treat that requires its’ eater to always return to the tin for that sneaky second piece.

In this recipe the base of the slice is cooked to golden perfection before being drowned in that super delicious almost fudge like icing that only a ginger crunch lover knows.The recipe (and the tin size) can easily be halved, but it’s darn good so rest assured if you are a ginger lover, it won’t last.

INGREDIENTS

Base
250g sugar
2 tbsp finely chopped crystallized ginger
100g golden syrup
300g butter
140g slivered almonds, roasted
220g rolled oats
150g desiccated coconut
280g self raising flour

Icing
220g golden syrup
200g butter
3 tbsp ground ginger
500g icing sugar
½ cup chopped pistachios
¼ cup finely chopped crystalised ginger.

METHOD

Base
1. Preheat oven to 160°C on fan bake.
2. Grease and line a 20 x 30cm slice tin.
3. Melt butter, sugar, golden syrup and ginger in a medium saucepan over a gentle heat.
4. Remove from heat and add almonds, oats, coconut and flour, mix well.
5. Press firmly into tin.
6. Bake for 15-20 min, or until golden.
7. Allow base to cool in the tin.

Icing
1. In a small saucepan mix together the golden syrup, butter, ground ginger and icing sugar over a low heat till smooth.
2. Pour icing over the base and spread out with a spatula.
3. Sprinkle over the chopped pistachios and crystallized ginger.
4. Allow to set then cut.