{"id":5724,"date":"2015-07-17T09:29:01","date_gmt":"2015-07-16T21:29:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ascensionkitchen.com\/?p=5724"},"modified":"2019-11-29T19:52:18","modified_gmt":"2019-11-29T06:52:18","slug":"raw-ginger-slice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ascensionkitchen.com\/raw-ginger-slice\/","title":{"rendered":"Raw Ginger Slice - A New Zealand Classic"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ginger slice is an absolute Kiwi classic. This recipe has had a whole foods makeover, and is entirely raw and plant-based. No flour, butter or icing sugar.<\/em><\/p>\n

Updated November 2019. First published July 2015.<\/p>\n

\"Raw<\/p>\n

Good old Ginger Slice, aka Ginger Crunch, is as Kiwi as it gets. I grew up eating Nana’s spicy, crunchy, sweet rendition, and was just thinking of her the other day.<\/p>\n

She had a funny old habit of punching you hard in the arm while she talked. Famous in our family for her ginger slice, raisin squares, plum sauce, and pasta with gravy.<\/p>\n

As soon as Nan and her baking came to mind, my mouth started to water so I knew I had to give her old recipe a bit of a once-over.<\/p>\n

[bctt tweet=\"No-bake Ginger Slice – a Kiwi favourite with a healthy makeover. Spicy, crunchy and buttery – find it here.\" username=\"laurenglucina\"]<\/p>\n

\"Squares<\/p>\n

What is Ginger Slice?<\/h2>\n

Ginger slice, my global friends, is an absolute New Zealand icon! Squares of fudgy, spicy, buttery icing on a shortbread crust. It’s up there with Louise slice, lolly cake, lamingtons and date scones.<\/p>\n

It’s still today sold in all good cafes and bakeries – and features in our world-famous in New Zealand Edmonds ‘Sure to Rise’ Cookery Book<\/a>, <\/em>which is no doubt where Nan got her recipe from. That book has been passed down through generations since it first was published in 1908! Jeepers.<\/p>\n

Healthy Ginger Slice, My Way<\/h2>\n

Of course – time for a plant-based makeover. And might I say – I’ve knocked the freaking socks off this recipe, it’s hand on heart as good as the OG – perhaps even better!<\/p>\n

This raw ginger slice is made without any of the traditional ingredients, save for the ground ginger. That means no butter, white flour, refined sugar, icing sugar or the highly processed, sugar-laden golden syrup.<\/p>\n

I’d say almost<\/em> any recipe like this can easily be made over using more conscious and whole food ingredients.<\/p>\n

Perhaps the easiest swap is the golden syrup for maple syrup. We used to love pouring sticky golden syrup over pancakes as kids, on special occasions.<\/p>\n

It is terrible stuff though – made from refined sugar cane, sometimes with the addition of acid. Maple syrup is far less processed. It is tapped from the Maple tree, boiled down to a syrup, then the water is evaporated off.<\/p>\n

Due to the minimal processing, the syrup is still left with a variety of nutritious minerals, notably manganese and zinc,<\/a> and a small amount of iron,<\/a> calcium<\/a> and potassium.<\/p>\n

Coconut nectar may be another nice alternative to maple syrup – however – I find that there is a huge taste variant between brands. Some only taste mildly sweet, whereas others have a distinct, caramel-toffee like flavour – it all depends on where the product has been harvested.<\/p>\n

For this reason, and for a recipe that really depends on that strong sweetness, I think maple syrup is the more reliable option (by the way, when I can get it, my personal favourite of the coconut nectar brands is made by Loving Earth and harvested from Java, Indonesia).<\/p>\n

This Raw Ginger Slice is still most definitely a ‘sometimes’ treat, but it tastes incredible!<\/p>\n

Ginger – the Medicinal Spice in your Pantry<\/h2>\n

The reason I love this slice so much – is that it’s packed full of ground ginger root powder, which has some pretty incredible therapeutic benefits.<\/p>\n

Ginger has carminative effects (reduces gas and intestinal pain), is anti-emetic (fancy term for anti-nausea), a digestive and circulatory stimulant, anti-spasmodic, anti-inflammatory, and diaphoretic (induces sweating).<\/p>\n

Ginger is helpful to…<\/strong><\/p>\n