Ginger Bread (Jaggery & Ginger Cake)
A rustic, eggless gingerbread made with whole wheat flour and rich jaggery, offering a deep caramel flavor and dense, chewy texture. Spiced with aromatic dry ginger and bound with melted jaggery and butter, this historical recipe creates a hearty, warming treat perfect for tea time. The traditional preparation uses round tins to create individual cakes with a golden, crisp exterior.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Whole wheat flour (Originally '1 ratal'.)
- 1 pound Jaggery (soft) (Originally '1 ratal'. Use soft, high-quality jaggery.)
- 1/2 pound Butter (Originally text reads '2 ratal', but this is likely an OCR misinterpretation of the historical symbol for '1/2' (||). Adjusted to 1/2 pound (approx 1 cup) for standard baking ratios.)
- 1 tablespoon Dry ginger powder (Sunth) (Originally '1 tola' (approx 11-12g). Sifted through muslin.)
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder (Use a heaping teaspoon. Originally listed as '1 heaping small spoon' or 'soda bicarb weight of 2 annas'.)
- 1 pinch Salt (Crushed.)
- 2 tablespoons Butter (for greasing) (Estimated quantity for greasing molds.)
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Instructions
- 1Crush the jaggery and remove any impurities. Place it in a tinned vessel (or saucepan) over low heat and melt it completely until smooth.
- 2In a large tray or mixing bowl, place the wheat flour. Add the butter, salt, dry ginger powder, and baking powder. Mix these ingredients together thoroughly.
- 3Pour the melted jaggery into the flour mixture and mix well until a uniform dough is formed.
- 4Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease round tin molds (or a baking pan) generously with butter. Fill the molds with the mixture. Bake in the oven until cooked through and golden brown.
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