Parkin is one of the most popular traditional desserts in Britain. It’s a Yorkshire cake usually enjoyed during November, particularly on Bonfire Night (Guy Fawkes Night). However, you can buy it at markets throughout the cold, winter months. Traditional Yorkshire parkin is made with a load of treacle (molasses), giving it a rich, dark color. It’s the kind of cake you can imagine ramblers taking to fortify them on a wild, blustery walk on the moors.
I’ve adapted the old-fashioned parkin recipe somewhat (which is probably sacrilege), but even just looking at a traditional recipe for parkin is enough to make your teeth fall out. Most call for 200 grams of treacle, plus at least 150g of golden syrup, plus a considerable amount of sugar.
I love sweet stuff, but I can’t even cope with that. I’m also not the biggest fan of treacle, so I’ve made a lighter, brighter Pear Parkin cake recipe and added a pear topping. It’s still gingery and made with plenty of rolled oats, so it’s got that parkin texture – somewhere between cake and flapjack.
Feel free to add treacle or pumpkin spice if you want, especially for that bonfire flavor. But here is a simple and healthy Pear Parkin recipe. You can try it with spiced chai tea or a rich, dark coffee, both of which complement the ginger and molasses flavors. A glass of sweet dessert wine, like Sauternes, or a crisp pear cider can also enhance the pear notes in the parkin
Ingredients
- 100 g golden syrup
- 100 g light brown sugar
- 100 g butter
- 170 g self-raising flour, I used a gluten-free blend
- 150 g rolled oats, I used certified gluten-free oats
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 100 ml milk
- 3 tsps ground ginger
- ½ pear
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170oC, and line a shallow, rectangular baking tin.
- Heat a pan of water on the stove and place a bowl over the top.
- Put the golden syrup, sugar and butter into the bowl, and stir until the sugar has dissolved and the butter has melted.
- Remove the bowl from the heat and fold in the flour, oats and ginger.
- Stir in the egg and milk.
- Cut half of a pear into long, thin strips
- Transfer to the tin, and top with the pear slices.
- Bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until golden and hardened on the surface.
- Cool on a wire rack, then cut into small squares.
Notes
– The homemade parkin cake can be eaten right away, but it is better after a day or two stored in an airtight container, when it goes deliciously sticky.
– Eat on its own, or serve with custard for a satisfying pudding.
– If you don’t like pear, you can use apple instead.
– To make vegan pear parkin, you can use vegan block butter and
Pear Parkin
Ingredients
- 100 g golden syrup
- 100 g light brown sugar
- 100 g butter
- 170 g self-raising flour I used a gluten-free blend
- 150 g rolled oats I used certified gluten-free oats
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 100 ml milk
- 3 tsps ground ginger
- ½ pear
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170oC, and line a shallow, rectangular baking tin.
- Heat a pan of water on the stove and place a bowl over the top.
- Put the golden syrup, sugar and butter into the bowl, and stir until the sugar has dissolved and the butter has melted.
- Remove the bowl from the heat and fold in the flour, oats and ginger.
- Stir in the egg and milk.
- Cut half of a pear into long, thin strips
- Transfer to the tin, and top with the pear slices.
- Bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until golden and hardened on the surface.
- Cool on a wire rack, then cut into small squares.
Notes
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