Gingerbread slice

An absolutely wonderful iced gingerbread slice! This is a delicious new gingerbread recipe that requires very little effort – the icing probably took me the longest! You simply bake one large gingerbread slab, cut it into diamonds, squares, triangles (or any shape you like) while still warm, then dip each piece into a smooth icing glaze. The gingerbread is soft, wonderfully aromatic and, once coated in icing, practically melts in your mouth. Like most gingerbread, it also keeps beautifully for days. One thing to note – it is very sweet thanks to the generous amount of icing, but that’s part of its charm. Highly recommended!

Ingredients for the gingerbread slice:

• 270 g honey
• 150 g butter
• 150 g caster sugar
• 1 large egg
• 600 g plain flour
• 4 teaspoons cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
• 2 teaspoons mixed spice
• 2½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

All the ingredients should be at room temperature.

Place the honey, butter and sugar into a saucepan. Heat gently, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly – the mixture may still be lukewarm. Sift all the remaining dry ingredients into a large bowl and mix together. Transfer the dry ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the honey mixture and the egg, then mix until a smooth, slightly sticky dough forms.

Transfer the dough to a 23 × 34 cm baking tin lined with baking paper and spread it into an even layer. If necessary, lightly flour the surface and roll it out to fit the tin.

Bake at 180°C for 18–22 minutes. Do not overbake – the gingerbread should remain soft rather than becoming dry or crumbly. Remove from the oven, leave to cool slightly, then cut into diamonds, squares or any shape you like. The gingerbread will be soft immediately after baking, firm up slightly as it cools, then soften again once iced.

Ingredients for the icing:

• 1 cup icing sugar
• 3–4 tablespoons boiling water

Place the icing sugar and boiling water into a bowl and mix with the back of a spoon until smooth and fairly runny. Adjust the consistency by adding more icing sugar or water if needed.

Note: You’ll need to make several batches of icing to coat the entire gingerbread. I used about 4 cups of icing sugar altogether, although not all of the icing is used because some drips off while the gingerbread is drying. Dip each piece completely into the icing, coating every side. Shake off the excess icing and place the gingerbread pieces on a wire rack to drain and allow the icing to set.

Enjoy!