Spurred on by earlier positive results with edible acorns, I went back and picked a whole basketful - now to see what I can make with them - starting with a rich acorn gingerbread.

The Recipe

Ingredients:

• 180g (After peeling) sweet acorn kernels (see here)
• 130g Plain flour
• 125ml Vegetable oil (sunflower etc.)
• 125g Golden syrup or honey
• 125g Black treacle or molasses
• 60g Soft light brown sugar
• 225ml hot water
• 2 Eggs
• 1 Teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 Teaspoon ground mixed spices
• 1 Heaped teaspoon baking powder

Method:

Peel the acorns - drop them into a waiting bowl of cold water as you go, to keep them fresh.

As they're not needed whole, the easiest way to peel them is to chop them in half lengthways and pick off the shell with your fingers. Don't bother removing the thin layer of pith on the kernels.

Preheat your oven to 180 C.

Drain the acorn kernels and dry them in a clean cloth. Place them in a food processor and blend until finely chopped

Put the acorn meal and all the other dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir them together.

Add all of the other ingredients at once, except the water, and mix together until a smooth batter is produced, then gradually add the water, mixing all the time. It will seem quite a runny mixture - don't panic - this is normal.

Pour into a lined deep cake or loaf tin.

Bake in the oven for 50 minutes. Test by pushing a bamboo skewer into the middle of the cake - if it comes out clean, it's done - if not, return it to the oven for another ten minutes.

Allow to cool before turning out of the tin - it's quite fragile while hot.