This week's Tuesday's with Dorie recipe is Fresh Ginger and Chocolate Gingerbread, chosen by Heather of Sherry Trifle. (You can find the recipe at Heather's site, or in Dorie Greenspan's book "Baking: From my Home to Yours".)
I'm calling this "Farewell Gingerbread". It was the last recipe I made in our old house. I gave most of it away... neighbors (as I said good bye), the moving guys, and also the school bus driver. (You'd think we were moving across country, when we're really only moving one neighborhood over.)
The verdict? I thought it was pretty good! I made some modifications (mainly reducing the ginger) that you can see at the bottom of the post. I think next time I would do it the same as I did, but omit the top chocolate frosting. I thought the gingerbread by itself was better and (as I've mentioned before in other anti-chocolate-and-spice posts) the extra chocolate detracted from the spice flavor. (One of the moving guys thought it was perfect, though, so who knows.)
Oh, and I used my fancy adjustable pan for the first time, since I didn't have a 9-inch pan. I got this from a cake-decorating friend in England. I don't know if these are common there. I've never seen them on this side of the pond.
It comes with a tray and six pieces.
Here are the sides in place.
Then add the cross pieces. You can make it any size from 3 inches to 10 inches.
You line the pan with parchment paper to keep it from leaking. Here it is, ready for the oven.
How cool is that??!!! If you're reading this Sue, many thanks for the awesome pan.
Baking notes:
I made several modifications to the recipe:
1. I didn't add melted chocolate to the batter. One, that just didn't sound appealing to me, and two, I have to be in the mood to melt chocolate, and I wasn't.
2. I used semi-sweet chocolate rather than bittersweet for both the chunks in the batter and the glaze. I just can't get into bitter chocolate. (I've tried though!)
3. I only added 2 teaspoons ginger root rather than 2 tablespoons. The recommended amount just seemed like too much, besides, that's all I had.
4. I omitted the stem ginger in syrup. There definitely wasn't room on the "To Do" list for stem ginger.
OK, gotta run! I can't wait to see how everyone else's turned out.
Your gingerbread looks great. I loved this recipe. And how cool is that pan?! I love it.
ReplyDeleteI saw a pan like that, it's good to know they work so well! I liked this recipe too. It's good to know I wasn't missing on too much by omitting the frosting.
ReplyDeleteOh, so smart to make the changes you did! I would have liked this better without the melted chocolate, I think. As it is, the frosting was my favorite because the rest didn't taste like gingerbread. My testers were all over the ballpark on this one.
ReplyDeleteCool pan! And congrats on the move.
Nancy
the gingerbread looks awesome and that cake pan is a must have :) I have one with various sizes but to make a heart shaped cake
ReplyDeletethat panis crazy cool! iwish i had oneof those!andnot to mention,the gingerbread looks awesome! way to go!
ReplyDeleteI just added 1 tbsp. candied ginger, and didn't even bother with the ginger stem syrup stuff.
ReplyDeleteI also didn't do the bitter chocolate.
This was just so good!
SUCH a cool pan!
ReplyDeleteI love the light in your first photo...so beautiful!
I left out the fresh and stem ginger, and I still loved this cake!
Nice job!
what a terrific pan--where have these things been hiding? you'd better believe i'll be on the lookout for one!
ReplyDeleteyour gingerbread looks scrumptious, and i think you're right--it doesn't need any chocolate frosting to be yummy.
what an awesome pan, we need some of that over here in the US (maybe it's online!). i loved the choco but maybe because i am kind of over g'bread, having made cupcakes all december long!
ReplyDeletethat pan is so awesome!! great job on the gingerbread and congrats on the move:)
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome pan! And what a perfect "farewell cake!" It looks awesome!
ReplyDeleteGreat pan!
ReplyDeleteSo happy that your support crew loved the cake - have a safe and happy move!
the gingerbread looks scrumptious! and the pan...i WANT that! great job :) congratulations on the new place!
ReplyDeleteThat pan is awesome! No more hunting for the right size!
ReplyDeleteI love your new baking tin! your icing looks pretty perfect too (as usual!)
ReplyDeleteEveryone's giving me flack about not icing the cake. I think it was better plain, too. And believe me, I'm a huge chocolate fan.
ReplyDeleteWhat a neat pan! I loved the cake plain, but enjoyed it with the icing, too. And I really liked the surprise of the chocolate chunks. Yum!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great pan. Maybe you can obtain these and sell them to your fellow bakers!!! I couldn't really taste the chocolate. Your cake looks great.
ReplyDeleteVery cool pan! And the cake looks wonderful.
ReplyDeleteWOW where do I get a pan like that??
ReplyDeleteYour cake came out great. I hope the move went smoothly :)
That pan is so rad! Your gingerbread looks fab
ReplyDeleteThat pan is awesome! Someone should start selling those here. Your farewell gingerbread looks great - and you have left the house smelling wonderful for the next resident.
ReplyDeletei need that pan! my cabinets can barely stay shut from all the different pans and what not i have stuffed in there. i'm going to go searching now. i liked the gingerbread better without icing, but it was still good either way.
ReplyDeleteI love that cake pan! I think you were smart to cut down on the fresh ginger. It was overwhelming to me, and it's no fun to bite into that stuff (but that's probably my fault for not dicing it small enough!) I am with you on your assessment of the chocolate/gingerbread combo -- I think each of those flavors are better off when they stay away from the other. Your gingerbread looks great, though. Good luck getting settled!
ReplyDeleteI'm a little late with mine -- but I agree, I'm not a chocolate with spice fan (except maybe for a touch of cinnamon). I think mine may end up chocolate-free.
ReplyDeleteLove that pan!
I love the pan! Your gingerbread look gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI would love to see all the baking pans you have, I'm seriously jealous! I don't think I'd like ginger bread with chocolate, I say that even though I've never had it. Somethings just don't register in my mind as going together, but then again my mind is a little twisted.
ReplyDeleteCOOL PAN! Your gingerbread looks delish!
ReplyDelete