Gingerbread with brandy apples and crème fraîche from Sweet (page 266) by Yotam Ottolenghi and Helen Goh

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Notes about this recipe

  • Eat Your Books

    Can substitute blackstrap molasses for black treacle.

  • Kattancock on October 25, 2025

    Delicious cake! Made it in a 9-inch (dark) springform and it basically filled the pan but didn't overflow. Set the timer for 45 mins as my oven is a high achiever and it was still extremely dark on top and sides, and crunchy. Doesn't taste burnt but it's definitely on the edge. Still fairly moist inside but next time I'll reduce the time and perhaps the temperature too.

  • MsMonsoon on January 01, 2025

    This turned out great. How beautiful the user photos are here! I used the Nordic Ware fleur de lys pan (9 inch?) with cake goop (homemade pan release). Cake rose all the way up, so I’ll be sure to grease even the very tip top of the center next time. It baked for the full 50 min and released well. The cake is moist and has an orange flavor from the zest. I used Lyle’s black treacle (does blackstrap really work here? I’d be afraid to try since I’ve had it come out too strong in other baking recipes.) Used jarred stem ginger and about 20-30% additional just to use it all up. The brandy apples are delicious with the vanilla bean and lemon juice and peel. The recipe does not say to remove these after cooking, funnily enough. I ate a piece of lemon peel and it was actually quite good! Served with creme fraiche but whipped cream would be great too.

  • dbuhler on July 30, 2024

    I made this in a Bundt pan and had no problems getting it out of the pan. I used my traditional Bundt because I was worried about it sticking, but next time I make it I would feel comfortable using a more intricate pan because it just slid right out. Aside from reducing the baking soda (I'm at high altitude) the only change I made was substituting the brandy for apple cider. Like anya_sf I also served it with sweetened whipped cream. I'm in the US and I sourced black treacle and I would def do that again...I would bet that black strap molasses would be way too strong here. Everyone loved this!! Even on day two the cake was still moist and delicious! I will definitely make this again.

  • anya_sf on March 19, 2020

    I made 1/3 recipe in a 6" round pan. After 24 minutes, it was done or perhaps overdone, as the cake wasn't as moist as I'd like, although the flavor was good. I didn't line the sides with parchment and had no trouble removing the cake, but parchment might have protected against overbaking. We loved the brandy apples (I used Braeburn) and had lightly sweetened whipped cream on the side instead of creme fraiche.

  • coryelizabeth on February 17, 2018

    **UPDATE: I just ate a leftover slice of this gingerbread and can report that, a week later, it is still moist, tender, and even more delicious than it was originally. The brandied apples and creme fraiche make this into a "showstopper" dessert, but the cake on its own is lovely and complex. Worth the effort, with a few adjustments (see below).

  • coryelizabeth on February 15, 2018

    I made this cake twice (in the same day). The first time was a disaster; the second time, it worked out pretty well. Here is what made the difference. You must use a spring form pan to bake this cake. The recipe says it will work in a Bundt pan, but it's not possible to line a Bundt pan with parchment and, without parchment, the cake will stick hopelessly and eventually fall into pieces. In addition to using a spring form pan, take the time to butter the pan well, before lining the bottom AND the sides with parchment. Additionally, 50 minutes at 400F led to a burned cake. The second time around, I covered the cake with tin foil at 30 minutes and pulled it out at 40. It was still a bit scorched on the top and bottom, though it still tasted good. Next time, I might try a slightly lower oven temperature to avoid burning.

  • dinnermints on December 10, 2017

    Very, very good. Didn't try it with the brandy apples, but was lobbying for it (we were taking it somewhere for a Thanksgiving dessert, my fam thought dealing with the apples would be too fussy...next time!). I really don't see the point of steeping the crystallized ginger in water; it just leeches flavor out. The crystallized ginger doesn't need to be softened. I added it as is, and it was great - would even add a bit more (wish I'd done that with his beet cake too).

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