Elizabeth Mosse’s gingerbread

Makes 2 loaves.

1 lb (450g) flour

½ tsp salt

1½ tsp ground ginger

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp bread soda

1 fistful of sultanas, optional

8ozs (225g) soft brown sugar

6ozs (170g) butter, cut into cubes

¾ lb (340g) treacle

½ pint (300ml) milk

1 egg, free range if possible

2 x 9inch (23cm) x 5inch (12.5cm) x 2inch (5cm) loaf tins lined with silicone paper

Preheat the oven to 180C\350F\regulo 4.

Sieve all the dry ingredients together. Gently warm the brown sugar with the cubed butter and treacle. Add milk. Allow to cool a little and stir into the dry ingredients, add the beaten egg and the sultanas if desired. Mix thoroughly and make sure there are no lumps of flour left. Bake in one or two lined loaf tins for approx. 1 hour in a moderate oven.