Stout Gingerbread and Stewed Fruit

Is it really almost Christmas again?  As I watch the first, heavy, white flakes of the season begin to fall on this wet December day, I am reminded of how quickly time flies.  The older I get, the shorter each passing year seems to become…nonetheless there is always time for dessert.

Christmas decorations have adorned the streets and local shops since Thanksgiving, which means its time for some customary gingerbread.  

Back in the day, an associate of mine used to work for Claudia Fleming at Gramercy Tavern in NYC.  Once in a while, she would run one of Fleming’s desserts as a special:  Caramel tarts with chocolate and sea salt (like a twix bar on crack), blueberry cornmeal cakes with corn ice cream (revelatory IC), and a stout gingerbread made with that libation of my collegiate junior year abroad, Guinness Extra Stout.  I was lucky enough to try everything (not for lack of effort on my part…)

I had never eaten a baked good made with beer before, and was greatly surprised.  Dense, moist, tender and malty, this gingerbread became a fast favorite.  Since its been such a long time, I thought I’d make a few small loaves for home and friends.  There’s nothing quite like a warm, gingery slice served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a spoonful of stewed dried fruits.  This dessert is like a warm blanket on cold, wintery evenings.  Of course, this gingerbread is also great on its own, perhaps with a mug of hot chocolate, a shot of espresso, a cup of tea, a glass of milk, or a slathering of Kerrygold butter.  And don’t worry, you can hate beer and still like this…

Now, about those stewed fruits.  Before you exclaim, “But, I don’t eat prunes!”  please hear me out.  I myself, had some doubt, but everything turned out quite nicely, I assure you.

Originally, I had considered a spiced quince or pear compote.  But then the husband mentioned a type of prunish, plummish topping that they make over in his native Deutschland.  So I settled on dried prunes, along with some dried cherries, apricots and figs.  I used the same simple syrup recipe that I would’ve used for quince/pears, but with a smaller amount so that I would be left with a light glaze at the end of the reduction.  This fruit stew is well-textured, hearty and sweet with some tartness from the cherries.  Notes of vanilla, citrus and wine accentuate the flavor.  Like the raisins in an oatmeal cookie, this pairs perfectly with the gingerbread.

Even aside from the gingerbread, I would love this fruit compote as an accompaniment to a platter of cheese, or mixed in with a hot breakfast cereal (although for that I would make the simple syrup with water instead of wine.)

But that’s for next time.  For now, we’ll be eating it up with the stout gingerbread!

STOUT GINGERBREAD
adapted from Claudia Fleming’s recipe at Epicurious
makes 3 1-pint loaves or 1 bundt*

INGREDIENTS
1 C stout beer
1 C molasses
1/2 tsp baking soda

3 ea, whole eggs
3/4 C demerara sugar (or turbinado)
1/4 dark muscovado sugar (or dark brown sugar)
3/4 C vegetable oil

2 C all purpose flour
pinch salt
1 1/2 tbl baking powder
2 tbl ground ginger
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground clove
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cardamom

DIRECTIONS
Place the beer and molasses in a medium sized pot.  Bring to a boil, remove from the heat and whisk in the baking soda.  Set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 350˚F.  Grease and flour pans.

Combine and sift flour, baking powder and spices in a large mixing bowl.

In another mixing bowl, whisk the sugar and eggs until combined.  Whisk in the oil and then the beer mixture.  Add the wet ingredients into the dry, and whisk just until incorporated.

Pour the batter into the pans and bake on the center rack, until a tester placed in the center comes out clean, about 40-50 minutes for a 1-pint loaf pan.

Cool for 5 minutes in the pan.  Remove cake from pan and cool completely on a rack.

*Cooking time for a bundt cake will vary, probably around 50 minutes as stated in the original recipe.  I made small loaves in order to give them away to friends!

NOTE:  For some serious zing, add in 2 1/2 tbls freshly grated ginger when you mix in the oil.

STEWED FRUIT
makes about 2 cups

INGREDIENTS
1/2 C dried figs, quartered
1/2 C dried apricots, halved
1/2 C dried prunes, halved or quartered depending on size
1/2 C dried cherries
1 1/2 C white wine
1 c sugar
1/2 vanilla bean scraped and pod
1/2 cinnamon stick
zest of 1/2 orange

DIRECTIONS
In a medium pot, combine everything except for the dried fruit.

Bring the syrup to a boil to dissolve sugar, then add dried fruit and lower to a gentle simmer.  Cook to a light glaze consistency, about 15 minutes.  Syrup will be reduced just over half.

Best served warm.  For storage, cool completely and keep in the fridge.

DISCLOSURE:  I was not paid to endorse Guinness, Kerrygold or Claudia Fleming.

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