Warm Gingerbread Pudding

Makes 8 servings

Sweet, warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and allspice give gingerbread and many other baked goods their unmistakable aromas. Spices are generally understood to be dried aromatic ingredients, typically the bark or seeds of a plant; they are sold whole or ground. Whole spices may be toasted, then ground for a more complex flavor: shake them in a dry skillet over low to medium heat until they are richly aromatic.

Ingredients

  • Cooking spray, for greasing
  • 1 1/4 cup crushed gingersnaps (divided use)
  • 1 cup ladyfinger crumbs
  • 6 large eggs
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup dried currants
  • 1/4 cup candied lemon and/or orange peel, plus more for garnish

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bring a teakettle of water to a boil.
  2. Generously coat a pudding mold or 2-qt soufflé dish with cooking spray and coat with 1/4 cup of the crushed gingersnaps. Set the mold on a kitchen towel in a deep baking pan.
  3. Mix the remaining 1 cup crushed gingersnaps and the ladyfinger crumbs together. Set aside.
  4. Separate the eggs. Set aside, reserving the yolks and whites separately.
  5. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, confectioners’ sugar, lemon zest, and spices on medium speed until light in texture and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg yolks in 2 or 3 additions, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula after each addition and mixing until very smooth, 2 minutes more. Add half of the crumb mixture to the butter mixture and blend on low speed until evenly mixed.
  6. In the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites on low speed until frothy. Increase the speed to medium and add the granulated sugar gradually. Increase the speed to high and continue to whip until medium peaks form when the beater is lifted.
  7. Fold the remaining crumb mixture into the egg whites. Fold the egg white mixture into the butter mixture. Finally, fold in the currants and candied citrus peel. Spoon the batter into the prepared dish.
  8. Cover the mold with its lid or with aluminum foil or parchment paper tied into place with kitchen string.
  9. Place the pudding mold or soufflé dish in the baking pan on a pulled-out rack in the oven. Add enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the mold, carefully slide in the rack, and bake until the pudding is puffy, the sides have begun to pull away from the dish, and a skewer inserted near the center of the pudding has only a few moist crumbs clinging to it, about 1 hour 45 minutes.
  10. Serve warm, garnished with candied citrus peel.

CIA FOODIES

Warm Gingerbread Pudding

Warm Gingerbread Pudding
Makes 8 servings Sweet, warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and allspice give gingerbread and many other baked goods their unmistakable aromas. Spices are generally understood to be dried aromatic ingredients, typically the bark or seeds of a plant; they are sold whole or ground. Whole spices may be toasted, then ground for a more complex flavor: shake them in a dry skillet over low to medium heat until they are richly aromatic.

Ingredients

  • Cooking spray, for greasing
  • 1 1/4 cup crushed gingersnaps (divided use)
  • 1 cup ladyfinger crumbs
  • 6 large eggs
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup dried currants
  • 1/4 cup candied lemon and/or orange peel, plus more for garnish

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bring a teakettle of water to a boil.
  2. Generously coat a pudding mold or 2-qt soufflé dish with cooking spray and coat with 1/4 cup of the crushed gingersnaps. Set the mold on a kitchen towel in a deep baking pan.
  3. Mix the remaining 1 cup crushed gingersnaps and the ladyfinger crumbs together. Set aside.
  4. Separate the eggs. Set aside, reserving the yolks and whites separately.
  5. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, confectioners’ sugar, lemon zest, and spices on medium speed until light in texture and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg yolks in 2 or 3 additions, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula after each addition and mixing until very smooth, 2 minutes more. Add half of the crumb mixture to the butter mixture and blend on low speed until evenly mixed.
  6. In the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites on low speed until frothy. Increase the speed to medium and add the granulated sugar gradually. Increase the speed to high and continue to whip until medium peaks form when the beater is lifted.
  7. Fold the remaining crumb mixture into the egg whites. Fold the egg white mixture into the butter mixture. Finally, fold in the currants and candied citrus peel. Spoon the batter into the prepared dish.
  8. Cover the mold with its lid or with aluminum foil or parchment paper tied into place with kitchen string.
  9. Place the pudding mold or soufflé dish in the baking pan on a pulled-out rack in the oven. Add enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the mold, carefully slide in the rack, and bake until the pudding is puffy, the sides have begun to pull away from the dish, and a skewer inserted near the center of the pudding has only a few moist crumbs clinging to it, about 1 hour 45 minutes.
  10. Serve warm, garnished with candied citrus peel.

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