Ginger Crunch

Any self-respecting Kiwi would know instantly what Ginger Crunch is. This has been a perennial favourite since my Grandmother's time and continues to be to this day. I first started making Ginger Crunch when I was a child...in fact along with Anzac biscuits, this was probably the first thing I would have made independently. Of course in those 'old' days the only cookbook we had or used at my house was the good old Edmonds from which most, if not all, the biscuits and cakes were made. My favourites were Ginger Crunch, Marshmallow Slice and Yo-yo's...and I think to this day they are the things I feel most nostalgic about.


To just clarify...in my humble opinion, Ginger Crunch is NOT a big thick cakey base with a huge amount of topping piled on top as you see in cafes, but is instead just what it says it is a CRUNCH! I like it to be thin and crunchy with that satisfying snap when you bite into it. The topping should taste gingery but not be so thick that it overpowers the slice. For my slice I doubled the topping as my boys seem to like it that way, but for me I would just have it nice and thin so that it complements the crispy base. 


I got this recipe from a lovely traditional book called 'Ladies' A Plate- Traditional Home Baking' which is a collection of old traditional favourites baked by ladies of of my grandmother's (and some more 'modern' ones too) generation. 


Ginger Crunch


Base
115g sugar
200g flour
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp baking powder
115g butter


Put the ingredients into a food processor (clearly the method has been a little modernised since my grandmother's time) and process until the mixture forms fine crumbs. Press into a shallow 30cm x 21cm tin (I line mine with baking paper).


Bake 20-25 in a preheated 180C oven until a pale, golden brown.


Immediately pour over topping over the hot base.


Topping
55g butter
1 Tbsp golden syrup
2 tsp ground ginger
55g icing sugar


Melt together over a medium heat until runny and well combined and the sugar is melted.


Cut while still warm then leave to cool in the tin.