Gingerbread - "Ontbijtkoek" - "Breakfast Cake"

slicing

one slice

buttered

My mother used to bring a glass of fresh orange juice and a slice of buttered 'ontbijtkoek' (breakfast cake) when she woke us up in the morning (am I spoiled?) - but even so the name 'breakfast cake,' never seemed right to me, for in general it's eaten with midmorning coffee. 'Gingerbread,' is a better name.

The 'ontbijtkoek' that you buy in the store, it's chewy, a bit tough; this recipe may give you something similar, but I don't know how to achieve that chewiness.
There was a New York Times article a few years ago about fat in cakes breaking up the gluten strings of flour, and to use pastry flour (low in protein and gluten) for crumbly lowfat cakes; but this 'breakfast cake' is supposed to be somewhat tough.
Some banana bread recipes say not to overwork the mixing, so as not to develop breadlike tough, long gluten strings; from that thought I've used a mixer for a minute or two to mix 'ontbijtkoek' batter, but it did not give chewiness.

Note that there are no eggs in the recipe, and it's very low in fat - no butter, no sour cream like in my other cake recipe; though it's very good buttered, you don't have to.

['gingerbread' and 'banana bread']
'Gingerbread' and 'Banana Bread'

250 g (1²/₃ cup) white flour (Better-for-Bread or unbleached), or mix white and wholewheat flour to that amount
1½ tsp baking powder (or use self-rising flour)
175 g (1 packed cup or a little more) brown sugar
200 ml (6½ oz) milk

1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp all-spice
some freshly ground pepper
some freshly ground nutmeg

or, 1½ tsp 'koekkruiden' (buy a jar when visiting Holland)

½ tsp salt

75 g (2½ oz) baking ('crystallized') ginger
a handful raisins
a handful (75 g, 2½ oz) nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts or filiberts hazelnuts)
8-10 dried apricots, cut each in 3 or 4 strips
(optional) lemon or orange rind zest
(optional) fresh ginger (a piece the size of a thumb, peel) - to be grated

Pour 200 ml milk, add 175 g brown sugar and ½ tsp salt, stir lightly, set aside;
Preaheat oven to 150°C (325°F);
Butter 2L (8-cup) breadpan, dust with flour;
Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the top of your breadpan, butter it on one side;
Mix flour, baking powder and spices in a large bowl;
Add raisins, nuts, cut apricots and crystallized ginger, and mix;
(optional) Zest orange or lemon over it;
(optional) Add freshly grated ginger;
Stir milk/sugar solution, add to dry ingredients, mix well;
Pour batter in breadpan, put buttered piece of parchment paper on top (buttered side down);
Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes;
Test with toothpick or sharp knife: it should come out clean;
Leave in breadpan for 10 minutes, then let it cool further on a rack.

bananabread and other recipes

I use one of these fine graters to zest lemons, oranges and kumquats.
They're extremely sharp, please be very careful and don't hurt your fingers.
Also find here the kitchen scale I use.

other recipes - Your Chef: Marco Schuffelen - email

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