Ginger tart (gemmertert)

Ginger tart is an old South African treat: it appeared in the South African “Kook en Geniet” (Cook and Enjoy) recipe book as far back as the 1950s.

It also happens to be what our friend Elsa makes every year for her husband Eddie’s birthday.

Ingredients

Crust

  • 150 gram ginger biscuits (see notes)
  • 50 gram butter

Filling

  • 1 cup (250 ml or 300 gram) golden syrup, preferably Lyle's golden syrup
  • 1 cup (250 ml) boiling water
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2 ml) ground ginger
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) chopped preserved ginger (see notes)
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) custard powder
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) cornflour
  • 2 tablespoons cold water
  • 1/2 cup (125 ml) cream

Method

  1. Crush the biscuits into fine crumbs and add to the melted butter. Alternatively, crumb biscuits in a food processesor, add butter and mix together.
  2. Press firmly into a pie plate and set aside.
  3. Chop the preserved ginger. Keep the syrup it was preserved in, you will need it in the next step.
  4. Combine the golden syrup, the syrup from the preserved ginger, ground ginger and boiling water. Add the chopped preserved ginger.
  5. Mix custard powder and cornflour into the cold water and add to the mixture.
  6. Boil for 3 minutes and pour the mixture into the prepared crust.
  7. Refrigerate the tart to allow the filling to set.
  8. Decorate with whipped cream.

Notes

Ginger preserved in syrup, or “ginger nuts”, can be bought in Asian food shops. Alternatively, use freshly grated ginger root.

The “Kook en Geniet” used shortcrust dough to make a baked base for their ginger tart, but using ginger biscuits to make the crust works well too.