2015-02-02 13.29.02

I used candied ginger and added figs and raisins to this version

Like all the baking I do this bread is semi-sweet and made with honey instead of sugar. It has just enough sweetness to highlight, not overwhelm all of the other ingredients. The result is a really interesting cake with complex and balanced flavors. I use honey because, unlike sugar, honey adds not just sweetness but flavor too. Especially if you choose a varietal honey like chestnut, orange blossom, acacia or clover. They all have their own distinct personalities. More flavor means you don’t need to use as much of it and that’s good too because good honey is a lot more expensive than sugar. And when you understand how hard the bees have to work to produce a single drop of it you understand why.

Cakes and quick breads made with honey don’t dry out as fast and their flavors develop more complexity as they age for a few days, sometimes even weeks. If you crave more sweetness just drizzle a little more honey on top of the cake when you serve it.  

Ginger Bread (Gluten and Guilt Free)
Some version of this adaptable and very quick bread is almost always available in my kitchen. Not because we're gluten-free but because it's so delicious. It'll go well with both sweet and savory dishes. For breakfast I enjoy it with quince or apple sauce and a dollop of honey sweetened double cream, creme fraiche or yogurt. For lunch or dinner it goes with a cheese plate, foie gras, liver pate or deep dark braised meats. Thanks to the olive oil and honey combo this bread stays moist. The flavor improves if you age it for a few days before serving.
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Ingredients
  1. 80 grams honey
  2. 50 grams olive oil
  3. 5 large eggs
  4. 80 grams whole milk plain yogurt
  5. 30 grams fresh ginger root, peeled and cut in small pieces
  6. ½ tsp. ground allspice (optional)
  7. 40 grams coconut flour
  8. 40 grams unsweetened desiccated coconut
  9. 35 grams natural cacao powder
  10. 1 ¼ tsp. baking soda
  11. a couple of pinches of salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 325 F (165 C).
  2. Lightly butter and flour a loaf pan.
  3. Combine the first 5 ingredients in your blender and blend on high speed for about 30 seconds, until the ginger is liquidized. Add the dry ingredients and blend again for about 10 seconds, just until everything is combined.
  4. Pour into the loaf pan and bake for 1 hour or until a cake tester comes out clean.
  5. Let the cake cool then wrap tightly in foil.
  6. Refridgerate for a day or two before serving.
Substitutions and additions
  1. Add up to 35 grams less honey for cake to go with a cheese course or even beef, venison or wild boar braised in red wine.
  2. Add more ginger for a spicier cake.
  3. Substitute candied ginger for fresh.
  4. Stir in ½ cup dried fruit or chopped nuts ( raisins, finely chopped figs, apricots,mulberries, apples, cherries, walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts etc) to the batter before pouring it into the pan.
  5. Add some chocolate chips or cacao nibs.
  6. Substitute coconut oil for olive oil.
  7. Dress it up for dessert with whipped cream or icing.
Susan McKenna Grant https://www.susanmckennagrant.com/

 

 

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