Yorkshire Day Parkin is a traditional treat from Yorkshire, England, often associated with Bonfire Night celebrations in the autumn. Its distinctive flavour comes from the combination of spices such as ginger, nutmeg and mixed spices, together with the richness of oats, golden syrup and black treacle.
Ingredients:
- 170g self raising flour
- 1 pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg (freshly grated)
- 1 tsp mixed spices (ground)
- 120g oat flakes
- 250ml golden syrup
- 75 ml black treacle
- 150g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
- 150g dark brown sugar (soft)
- 2 medium free-range eggs, beaten
- 25ml milk
Method:
Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Grease a square baking tin (about 20cm/8in) with butter and line with greaseproof paper.
In a large bowl, sift together the self-raising flour, salt, ground ginger, grated nutmeg and mixed spices. Stir in the oats until evenly distributed.
In a saucepan, gently heat the golden syrup, black molasses, unsalted butter and dark brown sugar until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
Pour the melted syrup mixture into the dry ingredients and mix well. Add the beaten eggs and milk and mix until smooth.
Pour the mixture into the prepared baking tin and spread evenly with a spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the parkin is firm to the touch and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. When cooled, cut into squares or slices.
Parkin tastes best after a day or two as the flavours mature. Store in an airtight container for up to a week to enjoy its full richness.
