Tuesday 27 January 2009

Run, Run as fast as you can . . .



You can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread . . . Girl!!!

Welcome to Tuesdays With Dorie, that delicious baking group that bakes once a week together, a delicious recipe from that splendiferous baking book, Baking, from my home to yours, by the equally as splendiferous cookbook author, Ms Dorie Greenspan! Yes, each week, we all bake the same recipe and then report our delicious results here on the web for people to oggle and drool over. I can hold this baking group singularly responsible for at least two inches of my double axe handle wide hips, but that's ok, tis a delicious way to go . . .



This week's recipe was Fresh Ginger and Chocolate Gingerbread on page 212, as chosen by Heather of Sherry Trifle. Oh Heather, Heather . . . Heather . . . I was thrilled with your choice. I am a Gingerbread Nut!! I love gingerbread. I could eat gingerbread until it comes out of my ears, and still go back for more! I have a house full of Gingerbread dolls . . . big and small, not to mention gingerbread candles, gingerbread fairies, gingerbread cookie cutters . . . well . . . I am sure you all get the picture. It has always been my dream to have a gingerbread cottage, and if I ever have enough money to . . . I shall! (And y'all can come and nibble on my door anytime!)



This gingerbread was a bit unusual as it had melted chocolate stirred into the batter along with chunks of chocolate and a chocolate icing on the top. What's that you say??? It's quite right, you are not imagining things. That is not chocolate icing on top of my cake. It's a vanilla butter cream. My todd is not fond of chocolate cakes and such and so I thought . . . . hmmm . . . . mustn't overdo the chocolate, and so whilst I did use the chocolate in the batter, I chose not to use a chocolate icing and well . . . mostly because this is a large cake and I didn't want to have to eat it all by myself. Not that I couldn't manage that, but because my hips darest not get any larger!



The batter for this cake not only holds powdered ginger, cinnamon and cloves, but also a glorious mixture of sugared grated ginger and chopped oriental preserved ginger. This is something that I always have in my cupboard. I love the stuff, no surprise there! The syrup in the jar of preserved ginger is sooo lovely. I added a teaspoon of it to the cake batter as well. You should try a teaspoon of it stirred into your hot chocolate or tea next time you have a cuppa. It's delicious! But . . . I digress . . . as I often do.

This cake smelled heavenly from the get-go. When I was stirring it up, when it was baking, when it was cooling . . . it's just wonderful! I reckon every house should smell like gingerbread! It has to be the most homey, comforting smell around!



The only problem I had with this cake was that the chocolate chunks sunk to the bottom. I'm not sure if that's the way it's supposed to happen, but never mind, it is delicious anyways, chocolate chunks on the bottom or not! Every bite brings you a glorious taste sensation of gingery spice, sweet ginger chunks and chocolate chunks. Can you say M-O-R-E-I-S-H???? This gingerbread is wonderfully to die for and if anything it seems to taste better and better as the days pass!



Run, run as fast as you can to bake this!!! You can find the recipe on Heather's page here, where it will be posted at some point today. In the meantime why not check out the Dorie Blog Roll, where you can see what all the other ladies have created.

Next week's recipe will be World Peace Cookies, page 138-139 as chosen by Jessica of Cookbook Habit. Yummo!! I'm all for world peace and I'm all for cookies, this is bound to be great! I can't wait . . . but in the meantime . . . there's a lovely gingerbread on the counter to keep me company!


35 comments:

  1. Oh my.... this does sound wonderful. Why don't you bring the recipe with you and we can make it together. By the way both of my girls want you to cook a couple of meals with us. We have never had the opportunity to be taught by a professional chef and we want to take advantage of it. Bring your favorite meal recipes and we will buy the ingredients and be taught by the master....if it is OK with you of course.

    I stayed down all day and I am feeling better tonight. I am more than ready to be well. The doctor wants me to go in tomorrow for lab tests. I am sure that she will fix me up good.

    Have a good day. I will say good night from my side of the world.
    Love, Lura

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  2. That's great that you liked this so much, and the buttercream looks yummy on top. I am a big gingerbread fan (without so many dolls, though!) but I didn't like this very well b/c of the chocolate. Each to her own!
    Nancy

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  3. my chocolate chunks all sank to the bottom too and stuck to my parchment as i peeled it out!what a waste too. But then again, I"m glad that you liked the overall cake. I thought itwas glorious too lest the ginger syrup. Would have loved to add some of that though.

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  4. How about plopping the little choc chunks over the top of the batter once it's in the tin for baking? They might not have time to get to the bottom that way. Think I'll try that when I can. And maybe a cream cheese topping as I'm not that keen on buttercream. Truth to tell I don't make a very good job of buttercream!

    love, Angie, xx

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  5. Oh wow....that looks absolutely yummy!

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  6. This looks ever sooo good, Marie! The sight of this is spoiling me for lunch, because now I just want a slice of cake--LOL! I like the thought of the fresh ginger and chocolate. And I love gingerbread! Nice icing on this cake too...mmm...A tiny trick for preventing the chocolate chunks sinking another time may be to place the choc chunks in a small bowl and then dust lightly and toss with some flour or a tiny, tiny bit of the dry mixture before incorporating them into the batter. I do this with nuts, raisins, dried fruits, etc. before adding them to a batter. Then they are less likely to fall to the bottom. Oh, but I have terrific news, my friend--the cards order arrived!! Yes, at last! Whew...LOL! They are fantastic--thank you so much! I can't wait to send one to our niece! Hope we get to chat tonight. Will look out for you on MSN. Hope you & Todd are having a great day! LOVE YOU BOTH HEAPS! ((HUGS))

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  7. Ohhh Marie ....cant stop have to go and turn on the oven Mmmmm lol .delicious ...love Jan xx

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  8. That sounds so good! I'm so jealous you're coming to the US and I don't get to see you!

    Did you look at the LFB? What'd you think!

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  9. I guess your home was filled with wonderful smells with a cake like that in the oven. It does sound delicious. I'm trying to imagine ginger and chocolate together as I've never had that mixture before. But chocolate is good no matter how it's fixed it seems.
    Have a great Tuesday!
    'On Ya'-ma

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  10. It's the frosting that is calling my name :)

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  11. Adorable gingerbread baker and great looking gingerbread, too. I hope Todd liked the cake even a quarter as much as you did.

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  12. LOL LOL English not being my first language, for a second there, I thought you wanted a gingerbread house, literaly! LOL ...then I realized you meant the type of house! LOL LOL
    You can run... but you wont catch me with a piece of that wonderful spicy cake of yours! LOL Beautiful, Marie!

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  13. My chocolate sunk too.

    Maybe because my chunks were so large.

    I love the idea of the buttercream icing.

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  14. YUMMM-MMM-MMMMM-MM! This looks and sounds absolutely divine! I love gingerbread as well, and I hve to say your cake looks much more to my liking. That icing and the moisture of your cake looks to die for! Would you adopt me?

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  15. Hi Marie
    What happened to the music? Every Tuesday a couple of friends come over to sew with me and we usually listen to the music on your blog. But it was silent today :(
    The gingerbread looks yummy as all your recipes do
    Hugs, Rhondi

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  16. Goodness! What an amazing cake!

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  17. Oh, boy. I don't think I can wait to make this. I've been eying that recipe for a long time...

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  18. Your cake is gorgeous!!!! You did a beautiful job!

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  19. I love the buttercream frosting on top...such a nice contrast to the deep, dark gingerbread.

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  20. I agree the longer you wait the better it tastes. Nice bread and I love your frosting.

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  21. Wonderful gingerbread Marie! YUM! I am going to talk to Lura and see what your schedule is like.. Maybe I can pop over and say HI!

    XOXOXOXOXO
    jen

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  22. Yours looks like it turned out beautifully! My chips sunk to the bottom as well but I thought it was due to not chopping them up. Oh well! It tasted delish anyway!

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  23. I'm completely in love with this recipe too. Your gingerbread looks great and I love the buttercream frosting you did too.

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  24. Oh I just love gingerbread and am so used to it being served with lemon sauce - but THIS is much better! Wow!

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  25. I all looks so delicious Marie! The jury is still out on whether I like gingerbread with chocolate or not. :)

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  26. Oh, I like that with the non-chocolate icing. I am baking mine and it smells fantastic. I am tapping my foot waiting.

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  27. it looks beautiful! love the ginger chunks on top. glad you enjoyed this recipe! :)

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  28. I, too, love gingerbread. and I cannot remember the last time I had any.....
    yummmmmmmmmmmmmm

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  29. You're comin' to Utah??? Wa-Hoo!!! We can't wait! We're gonna site-see like crazy! Give me your wish list and I'll plan it... just call me "Erin, your personal tour guide"

    some suggestions-
    Music and the Spoken Word on Sunday morning... the J.S. Movie... ok, ok... you let me know YOUR ideas!

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  30. this gingerbread was so good, vanilla buttercream sounds awesome for it.

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  31. Hi,

    I love your idea of using buttercream frosting!

    Michele

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  32. That ginger cake looks great!

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  33. Hi...
    LOved reading your blog. It was a step down memory lane when me too was a young school girl reading fairy tales / stories.My mom follows ur blog regularly & she often pings me when she finds a new interesting post.Mom's blog is :www.miniskitchen.blogspot.com.
    Keep writing , there is something unique & elegant about your blog..God bless. Cheers, Leah

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  34. Hi...
    LOved reading your blog. It was a step down memory lane when me too was a young school girl reading fairy tales / stories.My mom follows ur blog regularly & she often pings me when she finds a new interesting post.Mom's blog is :www.miniskitchen.blogspot.com.
    Keep writing , there is something unique & elegant about your blog..God bless. Cheers, Leah

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  35. I love the smell of gingerbread!! I wish I was there to smell it baking! :)
    It looked delicious!!
    xx

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