Recipe - Prune Armagnac Gingerbread

Unsweetened cocoa powder for
dusting pan
1 cup Chopped pitted prunes
One half cup Armagnac or Cognac
1 tablespoon Minced peeled fresh
gingerroot
3 cup Allpurpose flour
2 teaspoon Baking soda
2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Ground ginger
1 teaspoon Ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon Cayenne
Three fourths teaspoon Salt
1 cup Vegetable shortening at room
temperature
1 One half cup Packed light brown sugar
1 cup Unsulfured molasses
One half cup Strong brewed coffee
4 lg Eggs; beaten lightly
1 teaspoon Vanilla
One half cup Chopped crystallized ginger
Creme fraiche or sour cream
for serving
Sliced kumquats for garnish

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter a 10inch springform pan and dust with cocoa
powder, knocking out excess.

In a skillet cook prunes, Armagnac, and gingerroot over moderately high
heat, stirring frequently, until almost all liquid is evaporated. Remove
pan from heat.

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.

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.)
Serve gingerbread warm or at room temperature with creme fraiche and
kumquats.

Gourmet February 1994

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