Auntie Jean’s Ginger Snaps

Auntie Jean’s Ginger Snaps

One of the first things I watched and helped make were these biscuits. My Great great aunt made them almost every day of her life! She baked every day form getting up till going to sleep and supplied everybody in the family with cakes, scones, sandwiches, pies, puddings and everything else you could imagine. Miner’s wives teas for hundreds would all come out of tiny kitchen, no recipes ever written down just a mixing bowl and spoon and some scales but most of the time she just knew how much to but in the bowl and they of course always were fantastic. These biscuits are one of my first memories of her that and endless cups of tea with her and her two sisters all widowers with whom I spend many days being looked after before I was older enough to go to school! Back to the biscuits which don’t keep long ( they loose there crunch after two days) but they are so good you can’t keep them. And you have to like ginger a lot

1 lb of plain flour sifted
large pinch of salt
2 tsp ground ginger or less in desired
8oz caster sugar
6oz butter softened
8oz warm golden syrup or black treacle (my alteration if you like the liquorice taste of treacle)
2 eggs
2tsps baking powder

Makes 20-30 depending on size

Melt butter and syrup or treacle add sugar, salt followed by egg then beat in the flour and baking powder. A splash of milk might be required to make a thick batter of dropping consistency. Then place desert spoons of the batter on greased baking trays well apart making then in to rough circles with the back of the spoon. Bake at 180oC for 12 – 15 minutes till golden brown allow cooling and crisping up, ready to be devoured with hot strong tea and good conversation.