Ginger, Lime and Coconut Crunch

Yes, I do realise that I've made something similar before, but the best recipes are the ones you keep going back to. This twist to a classic ginger crunch, is my new favourite. You could even go wild and combine my other recipe with a twist, to create the ultimate hybrid. Here's the first with added stem ginger, for an extra ginger hit.

If you didn't know already I love citrus, especially limes and lemons. I also love coconut, and have coconut milk on my porridge every morning, but I especially love it in baking, like Anzac biscuits or adding it to granola. So paring, some of my two favourite things, with ginger is obviously going to be super tasty, and I won't lie, the inspiration behind the pairing of the lime and ginger, is from ginger mojito( recipe coming soon!!). 

The icing I did to taste, but this is a rough guide, it will depend on the size of your limes, and strength of your ginger will also alter, depending on the freshness. Feel free to double the base mixture, if you prefer it a bit thicker and a 1:1 ratio, I like a slightly thinner base than icing, as its a bit easier to eat. If making this in advance, leave the base in the oven for a few extra minutes, for it can really crisp up like a biscuit, as it will soften slightly when you put the icing on top. 

Ingredients
for the base:
1 cup plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 cup desiccated coconut 
1/2 cup sugar
125g butter
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

for the icing:
150g butter
90g golden syrup
2 tbsp ground ginger
1 1/2 cup icing sugar
zest of 1 lime
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp ginger syrup

1. preheat the oven to 180c
2. for the base beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy 
3. add in the rest of the ingredients, and mix until evenly combined(it's a quite dry mixture)
4. press into a large tin, bake for 20 mins or until golden and firm to touch
5. leave to cool. meanwhile make the icing
6. melt the butter, both syrups and ginger until smooth, then add in the icing sugar and zest. add in the lime juice to taste. Adjust the lime and ginger to taste
7. pour over the base, and smooth to the edges.
8. sprinkle of extra lime zest if wished, and leave to set before slicing.

Ginger and Lime Drizzle Cake

 If you've been reading my blog for a while, then you know i love a drizzle cake, or any cake that contains some form of citrus fruit. Oh, and that I'm not very good at doing seasonal baking, but here you have a combination, with the freshness of the lime, and the warmth from the ginger, so is great if you want a light and fresher alternative to a Christmas cake or ginger cake, to serve at Christmas; handy if you have a warm weather Christmas. And as promised more Christmas food is coming super soon.

Fresh and citrus cakes always perk me up, and I love making them when the suns shining, but to be honest when its grey and miserable, and considering its the 1st of December, nothing has quote hit the spot, like my filo pastry mince pies and may, or may not, have had two yesterday(just eating my mums and sisters for them, since they can't, obviously). 

I personally love coconut, and thought it added something different, but if you don't like coconut, replace it with ground almond, or if your allergic just replace with more plain flour. I also had an extra lime, so added the zest the the drizzle mixture, as i think the speckles of green look pretty. If your serving it for someone special, top with chopped crystallised ginger for an extra ginger hit.

 Ingredients


200g butter
175g caster sugar
4 limes
3 large eggs
200g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 heaped tsp ground ginger
50g dessicated coconut
4 balls of stem ginger, chopped
2 tbsp milk
35g granulated sugar
3 tbsp stem ginger syrup

1. preheat the oven to 180°/gas 4, and line and grease a loaf tin 
2. beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy
3. gradually add the eggs, beating well after each addition.add in the zest of the limes
4. gently fold in the sifted flour, ginger and baking powder, along with the coconut and stem ginger.
5. add in the juice of 2 limes and the milk. spoon the mixture into a prepared tin (don't worry if the mixture looks slightly curdled mine did this and was absolutely fine).
6. bake for 1hr or until golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean
7. meanwhile mix the juice of the remaining 2 limes, granulated sugar and the ginger syrup
8. once the cake has cooked immediately spoon over the drizzle. cool fully in the tin