A gingerbread dream, perfectly suited for holiday indulgence! Slightly set and cakey on top; creamy and pudding-like below. AND the icing on the cake? A dollop of bourbon whipped cream. This is heaven on a spoon!
I consider one of my greatest parenting achievements to be that all three of our children will do backflips for gingerbread. This makes me happy.
You might have noticed we are a family slightly obsessed?!? Gingerbread biscotti, gingerbread oatmeal, gingerbread granola in my new cookbook…
What is it about the combination of spices, cinnamon, cloves and ginger, along with syrupy molasses, that is so addictive? I could almost be tempted during the heat of the summer. Almost, but not quite. Because I get my fill for the entire year right now, the most glorious time of all for gingerbread!
With it’s cool temperatures, dark nights, and cozy evenings, the flavors of gingerbread weave magically into the holiday season. It’s something you want to serve as a finale to a lovely dinner party, but also dig in to on those nights when you get into your pj’s early and tuck in to watch a movie. There’s never a wrong occasion.
This pudding is also completely do-ahead. It’s almost a prerequisite for anything I make during the holiday season, since the last thing I want is to be whipping up a dessert in the 11th hour. It’s part of my mantra for entertaining… set the table as early as is possible, and have dessert done and dishes cleaned up before anyone arrives. It makes for less stress😉, which is what we all need this time of year.
P.S. And if you’re looking for another great way to indulge, I have an amazing chocolate-studded gingerbread bundt in the new cookbook that would be simply amazing for any winter celebration (not the least because leftovers with a cup of tea the next morning are out of this world). So be sure to order a copy and whip one up, if you’re a fellow gingerbread-head.
Chef’s Note for this Gingerbread Pudding:
After I made this and spooned it in the ramekins, I realized that it would be perfect to bake them in the ramekins in the first place. If you have ramekins, and would like to do individual servings, pour the batter in almost to the top and place in a water bath as you would the baking dish, with water coming up halfway up the sides. Bake for 25-30 minutes until set, then remove from the water bath and let cool. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Gingerbread Pudding with Bourbon Whipped Cream
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- 4 egg yolks
- ¼ cup molasses not blackstrap
- ½ cup (100 grams) light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (30 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 3 egg whites
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
For serving:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon bourbon or vanilla
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 F and butter an 8 x 8-inch ceramic or glass baking dish that is at least 2-inches deep and that will fit into a larger roasting pan.
- Place the milk, egg yolks, molasses, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla, cloves, salt and melted butter in a blender and puree for 2 minutes until thoroughly combined.
- Using a stand mixer or hand held electric beaters, beat the egg whites in a clean bowl until soft peaks. Add the sugar 2 tablespoons at a time, then beat to stiff peaks.
- Carefully fold the mixture from the blender into the egg whites in 3 stages. You are trying to keep the egg whites as fluffy as possible, but they will deflate some. Pour the batter into the prepared pan (it will come almost to the top), then place that pan in the larger pan, and pour in hot water to come halfway up the sides. Very carefully, so that water from the lower pan does not get into the batter, carry it to the oven (see note). Bake for 45 minutes, then remove carefully, and lift the cake pan from the roasting pan and let cool on a rack. Refrigerate for a few hours, or up to a day.
- While it is chilling, whip the cream, bourbon or vanilla, and powdered sugar until thick. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- To serve, scoop out portions into bowls and top with whipped cream.
Tips & Tricks
Yum yum Lex!
L,Mom