As a Yorkshire lass, born but not bred (my parents moved south when I was four) Parkin was one of my favourite things. Memories of heading up the M5 to visit my paternal grandmother while arguing, quietly, with the older brother about whose turn it was to need the loo so we could stop at the motorway services. And the smells that greeted us when we arrived at her house – that always seemed to be lunchtime – Steak and Kidney pie with meat that had been cooking all night and Parkin. Such treats.
Not everyone has heard of Parkin but once tried there´s rarely not a convert to good old Yorkshire cooking. Parkin is a cake – like gingerbread and usually made with oatmeal and black treacle. It´s said to have originated in the north, more than likely Yorkshire but as with many recipes it became popular over the borders too, where it lost some of its colour and stickiness due to golden syrup replacing the black treacle – I dare not mention which county changed it so!
It´s a dense, sticky, dark cake (in Yorkshire) that is finger licking good – and that´s what you´ll need to do – or serve it on a plate with a fork. Absolutely delicious on its own but add some southern-ness to it with a dollop of clotted cream and you will be smitten.
Parkin is a hefty cake or dessert so perfect for the winter months and was traditionally it was served on Guy Fawkes Night ( 5th November.) We were lucky and it was made for us whatever time of year we visited.
Parkin Recipe
• 150g butter, plus extra for greasing the tin
• 225g plain flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 110g coarse oatmeal (pinhead oatmeal)
• 175g dark muscovado sugar
• 80g golden syrup
• 120g black treacle
• 150ml milk
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 225g plain flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 110g coarse oatmeal (pinhead oatmeal)
• 175g dark muscovado sugar
• 80g golden syrup
• 120g black treacle
• 150ml milk
• 1 large egg, beaten
Method
Preheat the oven to 175C/155C fan/gas mark 3½. Grease a non-stick loaf tin measuring approximately 28 x 12cm and 10cm deep.
Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, spices and half a teaspoon of salt into a bowl. Stir in the oatmeal and sugar and make a well in the centre.
Melt the butter, golden syrup and treacle over a low heat, whisking to emulsify, then remove from the heat and leave to cool a little. Pour into the well and stir into the flour mixture with a wooden spoon. Beat the milk and egg together and stir this in until well mixed.
Transfer to the well-greased tin and cook until a skewer comes out clean.
