SHF: Cacao Nib Gingerbread
This month's Sugar High Friday, the Internet-wide dessert event, finds me in a funny state. I'm the host, but I'm also a first-time participant. Don't tell Jennifer; it'll be our secret. I meant to participate when Clement hosted, but my idea for a stunning puff pastry dessert came too late in a busy week.
I don't know what prompted me to think of molasses as a theme—Jennifer suggested I choose alcohol for some odd reason—but I determined to make something other than gingerbread. I figured many of you would have fantastic examples to share, and I knew I couldn't compete.
But as I looked through various recipes, gingerbread kept suggesting itself. I mean, why not? It's so delicious, with its warm smoky flavor perked up by spices and (ideally) freshly grated ginger. Who can resist a big slab of cakey, gingery goodness? Especially when it's bedecked with strawberries (a garnish I enjoyed recently at Jojo). Or toasted and slathered in butter. Ooh, and don't forget the dollop of whipping cream.
So the gingerbread won out, but at the last moment, I threw in some cacao nibs, inspired by Julie's fantastic entry. Thank goodness for early posters! The cacao nibs, a byproduct of the chocolate-making process, softened in the oven but retained a pleasant crunch. Like Sauron's ring, cacao nibs are forged in a hot flame that helps them stay intact in the relatively low heat of my oven. The chocolate and molasses and ginger blended to create a deep, earthy flavor that one has to taste to believe. We practically fainted as the aroma of baking gingerbread spread to every corner of our apartment.
I had fun with my first SHF, and maybe I'll start making more time in our schedules so I can participate in future rounds. I imagine Melissa won't mind. ("I know you and Melissa love desserts," said Jennifer when she and I discussed my hosting duties).
So now you know about my dish. Tell me about yours. If you made an entry for this edition of Sugar High Friday, drop me a note with the link, and I'll include it in the round-up, which Jennifer asked me to post ASAP!
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