Gratham Ginger Biscuits

Origins Birthplace: Grantham, Lincolnshire, England. Date: Around 1740. Inventor: A local baker named William Eggleston, who kept a bakery on London Road in Grantham. The story goes that Eggleston was experimenting with gingerbread and accidentally produced a much lighter, paler biscuit than the usual dark treacle-based gingerbreads. The result was so unusual and tasty that it became a local specialty. Distinctive Features Known as “white gingerbread”, because unlike most gingerbreads it does not contain treacle or molasses. It’s crisp and hollow inside, with a delicate crunch, caused by the way the egg and sugar mixture expands during baking. The flavour is sweet and mildly gingery rather than heavily spiced. Popularity By the 18th and 19th centuries, Grantham gingerbreads had become a well-known regional delicacy, sold widely at fairs, markets, and bakeries. They were also shipped to nearby towns and cities, spreading the reputation of Grantham as the “home of gingerbread.” Decline & Revival Like many traditional regional recipes, their popularity declined in the 20th century as mass-produced biscuits became more common. However, local bakeries (notably Hawkens Gingerbread) have helped revive the tradition, and the biscuits are still baked and sold in Grantham today. Fun Fact Grantham is often nicknamed the “Gingerbread Town” because of this unique biscuit. Recipe 250 grams self raising flour 350 grames caster sugar 1 egg beaten 112 grams butter ginger to taste but no more than 3 grams/1 tablespoon. bake at 150c for 40 mins but check them at 30 mins as we don't want them over cooked.