(makes 12)

For a change serve gems with blue cheese and quince jelly.  

INGREDIENTS

95g (2/3 cup) flour

65g (1/3 cup) brown sugar

1/3 tsp baking powder

1/3 tsp baking soda

2 tsp powdered ginger

¼ tsp mixed spice

¼ tsp nutmeg

1/3 tsp cinnamon

120g (1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp) golden syrup

75g butter

1 egg (lightly beaten)

85ml (1/3 cup) milk

butter to serve

METHOD

Preheat oven to 215ºC. Lightly grease gem iron using baking spray or butter. Place in oven to heat until hot.

Into a large bowl, sift flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, mixed spice, nutmeg and cinnamon and mix to combine. Make a well in the centre.

Place golden syrup and butter into a small pot set over a low heat. Melt but do not boil. Cool for a few minutes.

Pour butter mixture, egg and milk into the flour mixture and using a whisk combine ingredients. It will be a very wet mix. Pour into a wide jug.  

Remove gem iron from oven and immediately pour batter into hot irons.

Place in oven and bake for 7-9 minutes or until ginger gems are golden coloured and centres bounce back when lightly pressed.  Remove from oven and place onto cake rack. When cool enough to handle remove gems from iron.

Serve warm with lashings of butter.

Click here for the Gem Iron.