Ginger Cakes With Molten Chocolate Centers And Ginger Crème Anglaise Recipes

GINGER CAKES WITH MOLTEN CHOCOLATE CENTERS AND GINGER CRèME ANGLAISE

Steps:

• Make ganache:
• Put a sheet of wax paper on a small baking sheet and put a 3-inch round cutter on it. (Alternatively, line a 3-inch ramekin with plastic wrap, leaving a 2-inch overhang.)
• Chop chocolate and transfer to a bowl. In a small saucepan bring cream to a boil and pour over chocolate. Stir mixture with a rubber spatula until completely smooth and pour into cutter or ramekin. Freeze ganache while preparing cake. (Ganache may be made 1 week ahead and frozen, covered.)
• Make cakes:
• Preheat oven to 375°F and generously butter and flour four 10-ounce mini-bundt pans (not non-stick) or ramekins, knocking out excess flour.
• Into a bowl sift together flour, ginger, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, sour cream, and molasses until combined well. (Mixture will separate but will come together again when flour mixture is added.) Add flour mixture to egg mixture, beating until just combined (do not overbeat).
• Spoon about 1/2 cup batter into each pan or ramekin and bake on a baking sheet in middle of oven 20 minutes. Run a thin knife around side of cutter and remove ganache. (Alternatively, lift ganache out of ramekin using plastic wrap.) Quarter ganache and put 1 piece in center of each cake, pressing down gently (ganache will sink into cakes). Bake cakes 15 to 20 minutes more, or until set and a crust is formed on top. Cool cakes in pans or ramekins on a rack 10 minutes. (Cakes may be made 1 day ahead and kept in pans or ramekins, covered, at room temperature. Reheat cakes in a 375°F oven before serving.)
• Invert cakes onto plates and serve warm with crème anglaise.

CHOCOLATE GINGER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 9-in. springform pan. Place on a baking sheet., Place milk chocolate in a small bowl. In another bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, cinnamon, salt and cloves; add 1 tablespoon flour mixture to milk chocolate and toss to coat., In a large bowl, beat oil, molasses and sugar until blended. In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil; stir in baking soda until dissolved, then ginger. Add to oil mixture; beat until blended. Gradually add remaining flour mixture, beating on low speed just until moistened. In a small bowl, lightly beat eggs and egg yolks; stir into batter until combined., Fold in milk chocolate. Transfer to prepared pan. Bake 40-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack 30 minutes., Loosen sides from pan with a knife; remove rim from pan. Cool cake completely on wire rack., For ganache, place chocolate in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; let stand 2 minutes. Stir with a whisk until smooth; cool slightly, stirring occasionally. Pour over cake; sprinkle with crystallized ginger. If desired, serve with ice cream.

GINGER CRèME ANGLAISE

Steps:

• Cut gingerroot into 4 pieces and smash with flat side of a knife. In a small heavy saucepan bring half-and-half and gingerroot just to a simmer over moderately low heat, about 10 minutes (do not let boil). While mixture is heating, in a bowl whisk together yolks and sugar until smooth. Add hot half-and-half mixture in a slow stream, whisking, and transfer custard to pan. Cook custard over moderately low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until a thermometer registers 170°F, about 5 minutes (do not let boil). Pour custard through a fine sieve into a clean bowl and cool. (Crème anglaise may be made 3 days ahead and chilled, covered. Bring crème anglaise to room temperature before serving.)

WINTER-SPICED MOLTEN CHOCOLATE CAKES WITH RUM-GINGER ICE CREAM

Steps:

• For ice cream:
• Place softened ice cream in medium bowl. Using plastic spatula, fold ginger and rum into ice cream. Transfer to airtight container. Freeze ice cream mixture until firm, about 4 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep frozen.)
• For cakes:
• Generously butter eight 3/4-cup soufflé dishes. Stir chocolate, butter, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and white pepper in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Cool slightly. Whisk eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla in large bowl to blend. Whisk in 3 cups powdered sugar, then chocolate mixture, then flour. Transfer batter to prepared dishes, filling to top and dividing equally. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Preheat oven to 425°F. Bake cakes until batter has risen above dish, top edges are dark brown, and centers are still soft and runny, about 15 minutes, or about 18 minutes for refrigerated batter. Run small knife around cakes to loosen. Allow cakes to rest in dishes 5 minutes. Using hot pad and holding dish very firmly, place plate gently atop 1 cake and invert onto plate. Repeat with remaining cakes. Dust with powdered sugar. Top with crystallized ginger. Serve cakes with rum-ginger ice cream.

MOLTEN CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH ESPRESSO CREME ANGLAISE

Steps:

• Instructions for Cake: Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Butter the round molds with the unsalted butter and dust with cocoa powder, tapping out excess cocoa.
• Melt the extra bitter chocolate and the unsalted butter in a double boiler.
• In an electric mixer, beat the eggs, yolks, and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Stir in the chocolate/butter mixture.
• Add all the flour and mix until just incorporated.
• Pipe or carefully spoon the batter into the prepared molds, filling no more than 1/2 full.
• Place the filled molds on a baking sheet.
• Refrigerate for a minimum of 20 minutes.
• The batter will hold overnight in the refrigerator after it's been put into the molds.
• Bake for 7 to 9 minutes.
• The tops will have cracks, the sides will be set, but the centers will be very soft.
• Instructions for Espresso Creme Anglaise: Whisk the yolks and the sugar together until thickened and pale yellow.
• In a small pot warm the cream just to the boiling point over medium heat.
• While whisking, add some of the hot cream into the egg mixture.
• Pour into the pot with the rest of the cream and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon.
• Add the espresso.
• Refrigerate until ready to use.
• When cakes are done, drizzle with the creme.