Gingerbread French Toast

Sweetie really, really loves French Toast and he loves gingerbread. Now and again, even in the summer, we stop by Hardcore Coffee at Bloomfield Road and he orders a Gingerbread Latte. The Pumpkin Pie Spectacular that I made last month is a favorite because the inner crust is made from crushed ginger cookies. French toast and gingerbread could be an excellent combination for Sweetie.

Because we didn't use up all the crumb mixture for the inner crumb crust, I've had a container of it in the fridge for a while and it needed using up. I decided to try making French toast with a coating of the crumb mixture. I had no idea if it would work, but figured it was worth a try. I started some Pink Lady apple slices to simmering with a little pie spice and water before I began the French toast, so that was our topping, instead of pancake syrup or maple syrup.

Sweetie was quite taken with this version of French toast, although I had trouble cooking it enough without burning the coating...the extra sugar wanted to burn. You may have to experiment with how hot your burner is to get the right amount of heat to cook the egg in the batter while not burning the ginger crust.

It's a pretty easy recipe. You make the French toast as usual, soaking the slices in the milk/egg batter. The new part is that you place a layer of the ginger crumbs in a pie pan, place the soaked slice on top, then use your fingers to sprinkle some on the top and to press it in so that it sticks to the slice. Once you turn the slice over, it will have gotten some crumbs on the bottom side but you may want to add more and press it in. Then you cook it in a lightly greased skillet until the egg batter cooks and the ginger crumbs become dark golden brown and  crisper. Served with spiced apples, it's a great dish for a rainy morning like the one we had this morning.

Gingerbread French Toast 
Serves 2

4-6 slices bread, French bread if possible

2 eggs or 1/2 cup egg substitute
1 cup milk - 2% or above is recommended, although non-fat condensed (not sweetened) is fine
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, or to taste
1 teaspoon granulated sugar

For the gingerbread crumbs:
1 cup crushed gingersnaps (about 20 gingersnaps) 
1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons cup non-dairy butter, melted
oil, margarine, or butter if you skillet or griddle isn't non-stick

In a large pie plate or other flat dish scramble together the eggs, milk, and cinnamon. Sprinkle the sugar over the mixture and whisk it in. Elle's note: I use a fork for all of this. Sprinkling the sugar on last helps bring that floating cinnamon down into the mixture.

In a small bowl, combine the crushed gingersnaps, pecans, powdered sugar until well blended. Add the melted butter and stir until crumbs are formed.

In another pie plate, place a thick layer of the gingersnap crumbs.

Heat a large skillet or a griddle over medium-high heat until a drop of water flicked on the surface sizzles. While griddle is heating, soak 2-3 slices of bread in the milk mixture for 1 minute, then turn and let soak another minute.

Place soaked bread slices on the layer of gingerbread crumbs, sprinkling some crumbs on and pressing in, then turning and adding more crumbs and pressing in. Place two of the prepared bread slices in the preheated skillet (which you oil while it is preheating if oiling is necessary) and cook until first sides are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Turn and cook the second sides are dark golden brown and toast is heated through. Elle's note: While the first slices are cooking, soak the rest of the slices, turning them over in the batter when you turn the slices that are cooking and then adding the crumb mixture as directed. Adjust the heat under the pan as needed to keep the toasts from burning.

Repeat cooking the remaining slices as you did the first ones. Serve while hot with sauteed apples, maple or cider syrup or other garnish of your choice.

Totally Ginger Gingersnaps

Somehow, while we were walking the dog one morning last week, Sweetie and I started talking about gingersnaps - I think I had seen a recipe for Bananas Foster with Gingersnap Crumble online...and we discovered that Sweetie loves gingersnaps and that I haven't baked them for him in a long time, if ever. Molasses cookies, yes, but not gingersnaps. Well, I might have, but have no memory of it.

The difference, of course, is the ginger. The recipe which I used yesterday is from Dorie Greenspan's book Dorie's Cookies. It uses  ground ginger, of course, but also candied ginger, finely chopped (and steamed if not pliable, which mine wasn't), plus twice that amount in fresh ginger. The recipe called for finely chopped, but I discovered with the Butternut Squash Soup recently that finely chopped still leaves tiny chunks of heat, so I grated mine on a microplane and I loved the result...still plenty of heat, but distributed through each bite, not as surprising chunks here and there. All in all, this is a cookie for true ginger lovers because the ginger is assertive. Because I can't seem to leave well enough alone, I also added the zest from 1 lemon. My favorite thing with gingerbread is sweet lemon sauce, so it seemed like a good addition, and it was! I also used a stand mixer instead of a food processor because I was feeling too lazy to clean up the food processor. Buy Dorie's book for food processor directions...it's a great book!

In case you decide to make these, be warned that they need to chill for at least 2 hours after making the batter and before baking. The baking itself goes fairly quickly and the results are a delicious, slightly chewy cookie that is moist with just a tiny bit of crispiness on the edges. If you want a crispier cookie, bake for another minute or two. Sweetie likes his cookies moist and chewy.

Citrus Enhanced Princeton Gingersnaps

a variation on Princeton Gingersnaps in Dorie Greenspan's Dorie's Cookies
Makes about 50-60 cookies

2 tablespoons peeled fresh ginger, finely chopped or grated
1 tablespoon moist, pliable crystallized ginger, finely chopped
zest of 1 small to medium lemon
2 teaspoons, plus 1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon each: ground cinnamon, cloves, ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/2 sticks, 12 tablespoons, 6 oz. unsalted butter, cut into chunks, at room temperature
1/4 cup unsulfured full flavor molasses
1 large egg, lightly beaten, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Sugar, for dredging (some can be sanding sugar)

Put the fresh ginger, crystallized ginger and lemon zest in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the 2 teaspoons sugar. Stir. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, spices and salt. Set aside.

Put the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until fluffy. Add the remaining sugar (1 cup) and molasses beat to combine. Add the ginger/lemon mixture and beat to combine. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Scrape the bowl and beater. Add the flour mixture and pulse the mixer a few times to avoid flour clouds, then mix on low just until the flour is incorporated. Scrape beater and bowl and then stir mixture with a spatula once or twice to make sure all flour is mixed in. Flatten dough in bowl and cover with plastic. Refrigerate 2 hours or longer.

When ready to bake, position racks in oven in thirds. Preheat to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or Silpat mat. Put the sugar(s) in a bowl.

Using a teaspoon or small cookie dough scoop, scoop dough into your palm and roll to form a ball. Drop the ball into the sugar and roll to dredge all over, then place ball on the cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. These cookies tend to spread and flatten. Don't push the balls down. If dough warms too much, put back in fridge to cool until easier to handle.

Bake in preheated oven for between 14 and 18 minutes, depending on how crisp you like them. 14-15 will yield the most chewy/moist cookies. Cookie tend to harden a bit as they cool. Cool on cookie sheet a minute, then cool the rest of the way on a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Indulgent Pumpkin Pie Spectacular

Looking for a showstopper dessert for fall festivities or because you have a pumpkin spice craving?  Southern Living has a gorgeous, delicious pumpkin pie that is enhanced with an extra crust of gingersnaps and pecans and, after the filling has partially baked, is further adorned with a brown sugar-pecan streusel topping. To put it really over the top, just before serving it is embellished with whipped cream. The recipe calls for ginger flavored whipped cream and some ginger cookie garnish, but the plain, luxurious whipped cream is garnish enough.

Because this pie starts with a refrigerated pie crust, it is not as difficult as it sounds. The pie crust is fitted to a deep dish pie pan, then a mixture of finely ground gingersnap cookies, finely chopped pecans, powdered sugar and melted butter are mixed together for the inner crust. The filling is rich with pumpkin, sour cream, sweetened condensed milk, eggs and spices, plus vanilla. The streusel has flour, brown sugar and pecans, moistened with more melted butter. No one said that this was health food! The finished pie, glamorously topped with dollops of whipped cream, has elements of both pecan and pumpkin pie. You only need thin slices because this is a rich, decadent dessert.  

Pumpkin Pie Spectacular
makes one pie - recipe from Southern Living Magazine
 

1/2 (15 oz.) package refrigerated pie crusts (one disc of pie dough)

2 cups crushed gingersnaps (about 35-40 cookies)

1 cup pecans, finely chopped

1/2 cup powdered sugar

4 tablespoons butter (1/4 cup), melted

 15 oz. canned pumpkin

14 oz. canned sweetened condensed milk

2 large eggs, beaten

1/2 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Pecan Streusel (see below)

Whipped cream, ground cinnamon (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Fit pie crust into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate according to package directions; fold edges under, and crimp.

2. Stir together crushed gingersnaps and next 3 ingredients. Press mixture on bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of pie crust.

3. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack (about 30 minutes).

4. Stir together pumpkin and next 6 ingredients until well blended. Pour into prepared crust. Place pie on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet.

5. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Sprinkle Pecan Streusel around edge of crust. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until set, shielding edges with aluminum foil during last 25 to 30 minutes of baking, if necessary. 

Let cool completely on a wire rack (about 1 hour). Dollop with Whipped cream; dust with cinnamon.

Pecan Streusel

1/4 cup all-purpose flour 

1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

4 tablespoon butter, melted

1/4 cup pecans, chopped

Fall is Coming and So It's Pumpkin Time

Fall is my absolute favorite season. There is something about the cooler air, the leaves turning crimson and orange, gold and brown. I love the flavors of the fall from butternut squash and pumpkin to tart apples and cranberries. Many of the spices that have sat on the shelf through the summer, including cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg, are the perfect additions to fall cakes and cookies, muffins and pies.

I'm starting with pumpkin! Last Christmas my daughter brought home a recipe from Southern Living for an outrageously good pumpkin pie. It had a layer of gingersnap crumble on top of the regular pie crust, rich pumpkin filling and a streusel topping...plus whipped cream for garnish! Last winter one of our favorite restaurants served a pumpkin dessert that was delicious...a bit lighter than regular pumpkin pie, with a streusel topping and, of course, whipped cream. I looked for a recipe that would give similar results but came up empty.

Recently I borrowed a book from the library called Block Parties and Poker Nights by Peggy Allen. It had lots of dishes to bring to potlucks and poker nights, including one that sounded a lot like that restaurant pumpkin dessert. Never being one to leave well enough alone, I decided to combine aspects of the Christmas pie and the potluck pumpkin dessert by putting a gingersnap crust under the pumpkin dessert layer. I'm here to tell you that this is one spectacular and awesome and excellent dessert! Just ignore your diet when you take your serving. After having a generous portion and giving one to Sweetie I decided that we really couldn't let this dessert remain in the house.

It doesn't look like anything special in the pan or even when you put a portion in the bowl. The whipped cream makes it look more special, but it is still a timid looking sweet. Then you taste it!It is rich, spicy, light but creamy and probably addictive. The gingersnaps at the bottom gives it zing and goes perfectly with the spicy pumpkin filling. I think the walnuts on top are crucial because they add needed crunch. You can leave them out, but I wouldn't.

The remaining dessert was taken to the lovely folks at the local library...after all without the library I would never have found the recipe! Besides, they are always a pleasure to speak with, always helpful, knowledgeable and hard working, too. Now they want my recipe...and who can blame them?

So for Jennifer and the other lucky librarians who had a taste of this dessert, and for anyone who wants a wicked good pumpkin dessert that will feed quite a few people, here it is!

Pumpkin Dessert with Gingersnap Crust– Better Than Pumpkin Pie
Inspired by Block Parties and Poker Nights by Peggy Allen

40 gingersnap cookies, finely crushed (about 2 cups)
½ cup finely ground nuts (I used walnuts, but pecans work well, too)
½ cup butter, melted
2 ½ cups (28 oz can) pumpkin puree
2 cups milk
6 large eggs
1 ½ cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1.2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 (18-oz) package yellow cake mix
¼ pound (1 stick) butter
½ cup chopped nuts, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl mix the gingersnap crumbs, ground nuts and melted butter. Pat into the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

In a mixer bowl, combine the pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar, salt, and spices. Beat at medium speed until blended. Pour the mixture over the gingersnap crust in the 9 x 13 inch baking pan.

In a separate bowl, pour the dry cake mix. Cut the butter into the cake mix until it is crumbly (or use a food processor).

Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the pumpkin mixture. Top the crumbs with the chopped nuts, if using.

Bake until the crumbs are golden, about 50 minutes to 1 hour .

Serve this dessert warm or cool. Can be garnished with whipped cream or ice cream.

Serves 18

It Must Be Spring and Pecan Tart Still Sounds Fine

It must be spring...everyone around here is talking about the weather. The other seasons have plenty of fluctuations in temperature and storms, but somehow spring is the most erratic. I'm mentally all set to switch to short sleeves and sweaters but next week looks like it will be back to rain gear and fleece.

My seedlings are big enough to go outside, too, but it may be May 15 before things warm up enough to plant them in the ground. The chill and rain doesn't seem to bother the apple blossoms. It was warm enough yesterday to open the car windows and take in the elusive and sweet fragrance that has such a short season.

After a crazy busy work day it's pretty nice to find a baking recipe that is also short and sweet. I'll be bringing this to a dinner party tonight, so I took a little extra time and arranged the nuts so they would look nice...all facing up. Given a choice of gingerbread, or maple and nuts, Sweetie chose the later. I'm glad he did!

A quick and easy tart with the delectable flavors of maple and pecans. No need for a mixer here…just use a whisk or fork to make the filling. I mixed the crumb mixture with a silicon spatula right in the pot I melted the butter in. Although this tart is fine just as it is, you can guild the lily with a drift of softly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream spooned next to each slice as you serve.



Maple –Pecan Tart with Graham-Gingersnap Crust
based on recipe in Instant Gratification by Lauren Chattman

½ cup (1 stick) butter, divided
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
½ cup gingersnap crumbs (about 8 cookies)
¼ cup dark corn syrup
2 large eggs
¼ cup pure maple syrup
1 ½ cups pecan halves

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Melt 5 tablespoons of the butter in a saucepan. Once butter has cooled a little bit (2-3 minutes), stir in the 2 tablespoons of sugar, the graham cracker crumbs and the gingersnap crumbs. Stir well to combine. The mixture will look like damp sand. Press the mixture evenly across the bottom and all the way up the sides of a 9 inch tart pan with removable bottom. Pack the mixture tightly with your fingertips so it is even and compacted.
(Reminds me of making sand cakes in the sandbox and sand castles at the beach.) Place the pan in the freezer until ready to use. (You may want to put a tray under the tart so that the removable bottom doesn’t move and disturb the nice crust you’ve made.)

Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. In a medium bowl whisk together the melted butter, the remaining 1/3 cup sugar, the dark corn syrup, eggs, and maple syrup.

Remove tart pan from freezer. Scatter the pecans evenly across the bottom of the tart shell. (I like to turn them all so the top of the nut half faces up…look prettier to me…although it is more work and takes time.)Slowly pour the filling over the nuts.

Bake in the preheated oven until the filling is just set, 15 to 20 minutes. (I placed my tart pan on a Silpat lined baking sheet in case any gooey filling overflowed the tart pan.) Let cool completely on a cake rack before removing the sides of the pan and serving.

Serves 6-8