Shelly's Recipe

GINGERBREAD WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE GANACHE & GINGER-ORANGE CRUNCH

Category: Cakes

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste or vanilla extract

1/4 cup heavy cream
2 cups white chocolate chips

1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon finely chopped orange peel
1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger root

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch loaf pan.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook the butter, stirring frequently, until it starts to brown and foam, about 4-5 minutes; remove pan from heat.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger; stir in 1/2 cup granulated sugar until combined.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together egg, milk, molasses, honey and vanilla extract until well combined. Whisk in browned butter until combined. Stir in flour mixture until just combined. Scrape batter into loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees F, for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into gingerbread comes out clean, and bread pulls away from the edges; cool on a wire rack.

To make the White Chocolate Ganache, bring cream to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Turn heat off and stir in white chocolate until melted; pour over gingerbread.

To make the Ginger-Orange Crunch, stir together 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir in orange peel and ginger, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until syrup thickens and turns golden. Pour candy out onto a small buttered sheet pan and allow to cool; finely chop candy and sprinkle over the top of gingerbread.

Makes 6-8 servings