GINGER STEM RECIPE RECIPES

Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4. Grease a 20cm square cake tin and line with baking parchment.

In a food processor, whizz together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, bicarbonate of soda and butter until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Set aside.

Put the golden syrup, black treacle, light brown sugar and diced stem ginger in a pan. Heat gently until all the sugar has dissolved, then cook for another minute over a high heat and remove.

Beat the eggs and milk into the syrup mixture, then mix into the flour and butter mixture. Pour into the cake tin and bake for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, stir the ginger syrup and 2 tablespoons boiling water into the icing sugar until smooth. Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool for 10 minutes, then pierce all over with a skewer. Pour over the icing sugar mixture and leave to set before serving.

Cook's tip: if you have leftover slices that are going slightly stale, use them in a gingery version of a bread and butter pudding. Just switch white bread slices with the ginger loaf slices and sprinkle chopped crystallised ginger over them instead of sultanas.

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4, and lightly grease a shallow cupcake tray with butter.
2. Roll out half the pastry on a clean flour-dusted surface to 3mm thick, then cut out 12 circles using a pastry cutter or a clean glass tumbler. Lay them in the hollows of the tray and place in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
3. Spoon the mincemeat into a mixing bowl, breaking it up with a spoon as you go, then pour in the brandy.
4. Peel the apple and chop into small chunks, then finely chop the ginger and apricots and stir it all to the mincemeat with the cranberries and mixed spice.
5. Roll out the remaining pastry to the same thickness, then using a smaller cutter or tumbler, cut out another 12 circles – these will be the lids for your pies.
6. Knead the pastry trimmings together briefly, roll out and cut into shapes to decorate the tops of your pies (stars and tree-shapes work well).
7. Take the pastry bases out of the fridge and fill them just over halfway up with mincemeat, then smooth the filling out to the edges. Beat the egg and milk together, then brush over the top edges of the pastry.
8. Lay the lids over the top, then crimp the edges together with your thumb and forefinger so the lids stick to the bases. Top each pie with a cut-out shape, then brush once more with the eggwash.
9. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden. Dust with icing sugar before serving, then dig in.
10. Take the pastry bases out of the fridge and fill them just over halfway up with mincemeat, then smooth the filling out to the edges. Beat the egg and milk together, then brush over the top edges of the pastry.
11. Lay the lids over the top, then crimp the edges together with your thumb and forefinger so the lids stick to the bases. Top each pie with a cut-out shape, then brush once more with the egg wash.
12. Bake in the hot oven for around 25 minutes, or until the pastry is cooked through and golden on top. Dust with icing sugar before serving, then dig in.

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4, and lightly grease a shallow cupcake tray with butter.
2. Roll out half the pastry on a clean flour-dusted surface to 3mm thick, then cut out 12 circles using a pastry cutter or a clean glass tumbler. Lay them in the hollows of the tray and place in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
3. Spoon the mincemeat into a mixing bowl, breaking it up with a spoon as you go, then pour in the brandy.
4. Peel the apple and chop into small chunks, then finely chop the ginger and apricots and stir it all to the mincemeat with the cranberries and mixed spice.
5. Roll out the remaining pastry to the same thickness, then using a smaller cutter or tumbler, cut out another 12 circles – these will be the lids for your pies.
6. Knead the pastry trimmings together briefly, roll out and cut into shapes to decorate the tops of your pies (stars and tree-shapes work well).
7. Take the pastry bases out of the fridge and fill them just over halfway up with mincemeat, then smooth the filling out to the edges. Beat the egg and milk together, then brush over the top edges of the pastry.
8. Lay the lids over the top, then crimp the edges together with your thumb and forefinger so the lids stick to the bases. Top each pie with a cut-out shape, then brush once more with the eggwash.
9. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden. Dust with icing sugar before serving, then dig in.
10. Take the pastry bases out of the fridge and fill them just over halfway up with mincemeat, then smooth the filling out to the edges. Beat the egg and milk together, then brush over the top edges of the pastry.
11. Lay the lids over the top, then crimp the edges together with your thumb and forefinger so the lids stick to the bases. Top each pie with a cut-out shape, then brush once more with the egg wash.
12. Bake in the hot oven for around 25 minutes, or until the pastry is cooked through and golden on top. Dust with icing sugar before serving, then dig in.