Prune Armagnac Gingerbread |
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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Minutes |
Ready In: 0 Minutes Servings: 1 |
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Ingredients:
unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting pan |
1 cup chopped pitted prunes |
1/2 cup armagnac or cognac |
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh gingerroot |
3 cups all-purpose flour |
2 teaspoons baking soda |
2 teaspoons cinnamon |
1 teaspoon ground ginger |
1 teaspoon ground cloves |
1/8 teaspoon cayenne |
3/4 teaspoon salt |
1 cup vegetable shortening at room temperature |
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar |
1 cup unsulfured molasses |
1/2 cup strong brewed coffee |
4 large eggs, beaten lightly |
1 teaspoon vanilla |
1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger |
crème fraîche or sour cream for serving |
sliced kumquats for garnish |
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 10-inch springform pan and dust with cocoa powder, knocking out excess.
2. In a skillet cook prunes, Armagnac, and gingerroot over moderately high heat, stirring frequently, until almost all liquid is evaporated. Remove pan from heat.
3. Into a bowl sift flour, baking soda, spices, and salt. In another bowl with an electric mixer cream shortening. Add sugar, beating, and beat mixture until light and fluffy. Add molasses in a stream, beating until combined well. Beat in coffee, flour mixture, eggs, and vanilla until batter is just combined. (It may separate at this point.) Reserve 1 tablespoon crystallized ginger and stir remainder into batter with prune mixture. Turn batter into prepared pan and sprinkle top with reserved ginger.
4. Bake gingerbread 1 hour 20 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean, and cool on a rack 1 hour. (The gingerbread will fall slightly in center.)
5. Serve gingerbread warm or at room temperature with crème fraîche and kumquats.
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