Ginger cake squares (crispy base, fudgy topping)

These were pretty easy to make, really crispy, really spicy from all the ginger (warning: it's for true ginger fans, not for the faint of heart :D) and kept very well for two or three days. 
As the title already states, the base was crisp, biscuit-like, while the topping was creamier, with a fudge-like texture. A perfect combination of chewy and crunchy :). And especially nice and warm for the cold weather that still lingers outside.
Recipe adapted from Baking Heaven (Germany, no 3/2012, p 49). 

Last year: Onion-tamarind soup with herb butter baguette.
Two years ago: Tortilla de patatas (Spanish potato omelet) with parsley and fennel and Red wine pears and Camembert.



Ingredients (for a 20 X 30 cm baking tin):

For the base:

• 225 g flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 100 g sugar
• 2 tablespoons ground ginger
• 150 g cold butter

For the topping:

• 150 g butter
• 300 g powder sugar
• 60 ml black molasses
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.
Tip the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Add the ginger:

Also add the sugar and mix well. Cut the butter into cubes and add them to the flour mix:

Rub the butter into the flour with your fingers until everything is well mixed and resembling breadcrumbs. Line the tin with baking paper and pour the mix into it:

Use the back of a spoon to press and level everything down:

Put it in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. Take it out and allow it to cool completely.

To make the topping, put the butter and the syrup in a small pot and put it over low heat, so that everything melts:

After the butter is melted, add the powder sugar and ginger and start mixing with a hand whisk for 1-2 minutes until everything is well blended. Remove from the heat:

Pour it over the cake base while it's still hot:

Let it cool completely. To serve, remove the cake from the tin using the baking paper and cut it into squares.

It's done, dig in! :)