Piernik (Polish Gingerbread)

Ingredients

• 140 gunsalted butter, for cake batter
• 300 gclear honey, for cake batter
• 100 gbrown sugar, for cake batter
• 375 gself-rising flour
• 3 tspground ginger
• 1 tspground cinnamon
• 1/2 tspground clove
• 1/4 tspground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsppepper, black pepper
• 3egg, large; whisked into cooled honey mixture
• 200 gplum jam, spread between cake layers
• 225 mlheavy cream, for chocolate glaze
• 140 gdark chocolate, for chocolate glaze
• 3 tbspclear honey, for chocolate glaze

Method

1. 1

   Heat oven to 160°C / 140°C fan / Gas 3. Grease and line the base and sides of a deep 20cm cake tin. Melt the honey, sugar and butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat and cool.

2. 2

   Mix the flour and all spices together in a large bowl.

3. 3

   Whisk the eggs into the cooled honey mixture. Pour over the dry ingredients and whisk to a smooth batter — do not overmix.

4. 4

   Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 50–55 minutes until risen and a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 20 minutes, then turn out and cool completely.

5. 5

   Slice the cooled cake into 3 equal layers with a serrated knife. Spread plum jam across the two bottom layers, then reassemble the cake.

6. 6

   Make the glaze: heat the cream, dark chocolate and 3 tbsp honey in a pan over low-medium heat until melted and smooth.

7. 7

   Place the cake on a wire rack over a lined tray. Pour over the warm glaze, covering the whole cake. Transfer to a serving plate once set.