Ingredients
Topping
Method
1.Preheat the oven to 150°C and line a shallow 30cm x 21cm tin with baking paper, or butter it lightly. Sift the flour, baking powder and ground ginger together.
2.Put the brown sugar, egg yolks and a pinch of salt into a food processor and mix well, then add the butter gradually and process until creamed. You may have to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Tip in the sifted dry ingredients and pulse until everything is combined. (If you don’t have a food processor, cream the butter and sugar together, then mix in the egg yolks, followed by the dry ingredients.)
3.Spread evenly in the prepared tin, scatter the chopped walnuts on top and press them down with your hand.
4.To make topping, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until firm peaks form, and then add the brown sugar a spoonful at a time, beating constantly. When you have a fluffy, caramel-coloured meringue, gently fold in the crystallised ginger.
5.Spread the meringue evenly over the base and bake for 30 minutes.
6.Leave for about 5 minutes and then cut into fingers while still warm. If you wipe the knife with a clean, wet cloth between each cut, you’ll get a smooth edge.
7.Carefully lift out each piece and place on a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container. Like most spicy baking, ginger meringue bars taste better the day after they are made and will keep for at least a week.
