Avar Gingerbread

Method

Cream together butter and muscovado sugar until pale and fluffy, then beat in the egg and treacle until well combined. Sift together flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a separate bowl. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, then gradually stir in the hot water until you have a thick batter. Pour into a greased and lined 20cm square tin and bake at 160C for 40-45 minutes until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.