Yorkshire parkin is a cake traditionally made for Bonfire Night to celebrate Guy Fawkes. This cake gets better (and deliciously stickier) with age, and will last for around 2 weeks stored in an airtight container.
GEORGE: This is my Gran’s recipe and when Terry was up in Yorkshire with me she made it for us. Terry loved it so much he made it back in London, adding a Check On twist with the sea salt caramel.
SERVES 4
8 ounces (2 sticks) butter
¾ cup golden syrup
Juice of ½ orange
4 ounces molasses
½ cup soft brown sugar
2½ cups rolled jumbo oats
2 cups self-rising flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger
Zest of 1 large orange
1 egg
1½ tablespoons milk
For the caramel
1¼ cups heavy cream
4 ounces (1 stick) butter
¾ cup light muscovado sugar
½ teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F and line and grease an 8-inch-square cake pan.
2. Place the butter, golden syrup, orange juice, molasses, and sugar in a pan and gently warm over low heat until melted and smooth.
3. Mix together the oats, flour, ginger and orange zest in a large bowl and slowly add the warm treacle mixture. Stir together the egg and milk in a separate bowl, then add to the parkin mixture and mix together.
4. Carefully pour the cake mixture into the prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour, or until firm and a knife inserted in the center of the cake comes away clean. Remove from the oven, leave in the pan for a few minutes, then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.
5. While the cake is cooling, make the caramel. Put the cream, butter and sugar in a heavy-based pan and place over medium heat. Bring to the boil, whisking until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat and add the sea salt to taste.
6. Cut the cake into squares and serve with the caramel sauce. It’s nice and simple but super tasty. Perfect with a cuppa.