Piernik (Polish gingerbread)

Instructions

1- Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3.

2- Grease and line the base and sides of a deep 20cm cake tin with baking parchment.

3- Put the honey, sugar and butter in a medium saucepan and cook over a medium heat until fully melted.

4- Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

5- Put the flour and spices in a large bowl and mix everything together.

6- step 2 Once the liquid ingredients have cooled, whisk in the eggs.

7- Pour over the dry ingredients, whisking them together to form a smooth batter – be careful not to overmix as this can lead to a dry cake.

8- Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 50-55 mins or until risen and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

9- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 20 mins before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

10- step 3 Once cooled, use a large serrated knife to slice the cake into 3 layers.

11- Spread the jam across the 2 bottom cake layers, then reassemble the cake and set aside while you make the glaze.

12- Put the cream, chocolate and honey in a medium pan and cook over a low-medium heat until the chocolate is melted and you have a smooth, pourable mixture.

13- Put the cake on a wire rack set over a parchment-lined baking tray and pour over the glaze, making sure to cover the entire cake.

14- Use a fish slice to carefully transfer the cake to a serving plate and allow the glaze to set.

15- To decorate, dust with a little edible gold powder, if you like.

16- Uniced, this cake will keep for up to 5 days.

17- Once iced, enjoy within 3 days – just keep in the fridge, but remove before serving and eat at room temperature.