Yorkshire Parkin

Traditionally, Yorkshire Parkin is made here in Britain on Bonfire night – 5 November. Though, I have made it for friends on other occasions – who love the taste of blackstrap molasses and ginger! Bonfire night, otherwise known as Guy Fawkes night, is celebrated here in the United Kingdom on 5 November each year. Dating back to 1605, it is the time when Guy Fawkes, a Yorkshireman, attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London with gunpowder. His gunpowder plot may have failed, but it has ignited (forgive the pun) an annual tradition. Since then, bonfires are lit across the land to celebrate the continued safety of the Monarchy. Borne out of Bonfire night is Yorkshire Parkin. Parkin is a traditional dark gingerbread, with a luscious soft, texture, and made with oatmeal and treacle or molasses and served on this day. This recipe for Parkin uses blackstrap molasses below. I love black molasses not only because is it a thick viscous syrup but it provides this exquisite full-bodied bittersweet flavour too. As an alternate to the molasses, you can substitute treacle. I use fresh ginger in this recipe rather than ground ginger because fresh ginger does not tend to be as potent for me. To make this dish gluten-free, I use buckwheat. Ideally, you should keep Parkin in a stored container for about a week. This allows the Parkin to become quite chewy. The recipe below is for sticky and moist Parkin. If it is Bonfire night you are celebrating then time to grab those sparklers and get celebrating!

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Serves: 12 Prep Time: 30 mins Cooking Time: 1 hour 1 hour

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

• 125g oats
• 125g buckwheat groats
• 25g flaxseeds
• 100g raw unrefined cane sugar
• 1 small sick of cinnamon
• 1tsp mixed spice
• 1.5inch block of ginger, finely grated
• 125g blackstrap molasses
• 65g coconut oil
• 60g olive oil
• 50ml filtered water

Instructions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degree Celsius.
2. Line a small cake tin with baking paper, after having greased the sides.
3. In a high-speed blender, blend the oats, buckwheat, flaxseeds, sugar and cinnamon. Blend till fine. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add in the mixed spice and ginger.
4. Gently melt the oils in a non stick pan.

Top tip – I boil the kettle and place boiling water into a glass dish. I dunk in a stainless steel spoon. This heated spoon ensures that as I take out the molasses from the jar, measure it and place into the melted butter, the molasses gently falls off the spoon. This way I do not waste any of the molasses.

5. Gently cook the molasses and oil, until it starts to almost boil.
6. Fold the molasses into the mixing bowl. Use a spatula. Add in the water.
7. Transfer the Parkin into the baking tin. Flatten the top of the mixture with the spatula so that it is even all over. Cover with aluminium foil.
8. Bake the Parkin for about 1 hour. The Parkin is ready when you can insert a skewer and it comes out clean.
9. Remove the Parkin from the tin, and leave to cool, preferably on a metal slatted wrack. When it is cool, cut into squares.
10. Serve with a nice cup of tea.

Notes

By Edward Daniel, Vegan Chef and Former Chair of The Vegan Society. Contributor to Vegan Life Magazine, Plant Based Magazine, Vegan Food and Living Magazine and OK! Magazine. Speaker and cooking demonstrator at Vegan Life Life Festival London, Mind Body and Spirit Festival London, Veganes Sommerfest Berlin, and Bali Vegan Festival. Author of "Essence: The Beginner's Guide to Veganism".