Parkin Recipe
If you grew up in the north of England then Bonfire Night was probably all about treats, treacle toffee, toffee apples and of course Parkin.
Parkin, is a type of dark, spicy, solid gingerbread made with oatmeal. In 19th-century Leeds, the 5th November was even known as Parkin Day. Many people in the south of England may never have heard of this hearty cake and don't know what they are missing, until now.
So why not try it for yourself and enjoy this Bonfire Night or on a cold November night with a mug of something steaming, the perfect winter comfort foods.
Ingredients
1 large egg
4 tbsp milk
200g golden syrup
85g treacle
85g light soft brown sugar
100g medium oatmeal
250g self-raising flour
1 tbsp ground ginger
Method
Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Butter a deep 22cm square cake tin and line with baking parchment. Beat the egg and milk together with a fork.
Gently melt the syrup, treacle, sugar and butter together in a large pan until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat. Mix together the oatmeal, flour and ginger and stir into the syrup mixture, followed by the egg and milk.
Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 50 mins – 1 hr until the cake feels firm and a little crusty on top. Cool in the tin then wrap in more parchment and foil. Keep for up to five days before eating if you can – it’ll become softer and stickier the longer you leave it, up to two weeks.