Ginger Crunch | New Zealand Ginger-Topped Cookie Bars

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 355°F. Line the bottom of a 20 × 30 cm pan with parchment paper, leaving it overhanging the long sides so you can lift the cooled bars out in one piece.

Beat the 150 g room-temperature butter and granulated sugar with a mixer for 4 minutes. The mixture is ready when it becomes pale and fluffy; cold butter will not hold the sugar, leaving the base gritty.

Sift the flour, baking powder, 6 g ginger, and salt into the butter mixture. Rub them together with your fingertips. The dough will not form a ball; it should crumble like damp sand. Tip it into the pan and press it to an even thickness with your palm and the flat bottom of a glass. Thin corners will burn before the center is done.

Bake the pan on the middle rack for 20 minutes. It is ready when the edges are golden and the center springs back without leaving an indentation when pressed with a finger; an underbaked base will turn soggy under the topping.

During the final 5 minutes of baking, melt the 100 g butter and golden syrup in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove from the heat, sift in the powdered sugar and remaining 6 g ginger, and whisk until smooth and glossy. Do not boil the topping; boiling can crystallize the sugar and make it gritty once set.

Immediately pour the topping over the hot base as soon as it comes out of the oven, and spread it into the corners with a spatula. After the topping cools for 15 minutes, when the surface has set but is still soft, use a sharp knife to cut the bars into 4 × 5 rows, for a total of 20 bars. Let them cool completely in the pan, then lift them out by the parchment paper.