Chocolate Parkin

Parkin is a traditional oaty ginger cake from Yorkshire (England). It is packed full of warming spices and is sticky like a gingerbread cake but has the addition of oatmeal. This version has the added bonus of chocolate too...

200g/7 oz butter

200g/7 oz self raising flour

55g/2 oz treacle (you can use molasses)

200g/7 oz golden syrup (you can use light corn syrup)

200g/7 oz soft brown sugar

35g/1 .2 oz dark chocolate, finely chopped

Pinch salt

4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground allspice

60g/2 .1 oz chocolate chips

150g/5.3 oz oatmeal

2 eggs

4 tablespoons milk

Preheat your oven to 300F/150C/Gas 3.

Line a 20cm square baking tin with baking parchment.

In a pan over a low heat melt the treacle, golden syrup, sugar and butter, then stir in the chopped chocolate until it melts.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool for five minutes.

In a separate bowl mix the flour, salt, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, chocolate chips and oatmeal.

Now mix the dry ingredients into the wet. Mix together then beat in the eggs and milk.

Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 1 hour 10 minutes, until firm to the touch.

Leave to cool in the tin.