Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes plus cooling time
Yield: 16 large or 32 smaller squares 1x

Description
Ginger crunch is a classic ‘slice’ or bar recipe from New Zealand. A chewy, gingery, oaty base is topped with a sweet, spicy ginger icing and left to cool before being sliced into bars. It is sweet but spicy, and makes the perfect treat!

Ingredients

Oaty ginger base

300g/10oz/2.5 C all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp ground ginger
300g/10oz/1 2/3 C brown sugar
135g/6 oz /1.5C Rolled oats (old fashioned oats)
225g /8oz unsalted butter, cold from the fridge is fine
90g /3oz golden syrup
1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract.

Ginger Topping

135g/ 5 oz unsalted butter, cold from the fridge is fine
125g/4.5 oz golden syrup
2 Tbsp ground ginger (dial back to 1 1/2 Tbsp if you don’t want a super intense ginger flavour)
325g /12 oz icing sugar / powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°c. Grease a 9″ x 9″ (23cm square) tin, and line with two pieces of parchment paper, so that there is paper sticking out of the tin on all sides, forming a ‘sling’.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and ground ginger. Add the brown sugar and rolled oats, and mix well to combine.
3. In a small pot, melt together the butter, golden syrup and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients, and mix well. Press the mixture into the tin. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until lightly golden on the edges. Five minutes before the base is done, prepare the topping.
4. For the topping, add all of the ingredients to a medium pot in the order listed. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Pour over the hot base, and leave to set at room temperature until set. Slice into pieces with a hot knife.
5. Store in an airtight container. Can be kept in the fridge, but bring to room temperature before eating.