- Prep time 35 minutes
- Total time 2 hours & 15 minutes
- Portion size 10 servings
- Credits : January/February 2022
Ingredients
Gingerbread Loaf:
Whisky-Poached Pears:
Method
Gingerbread Loaf Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 12- x 5-inch loaf pan. In bowl, combine flour, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg. Set aside.
In large bowl, using electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter with both sugars until creamy, about 5 minutes. Beat in reserved dry ingredients on low speed. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
Bake until cake tester inserted in centre of loaf comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Let cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes. Using pastry brush, spread whisky over top of loaf. Let cool completely. (Make-ahead: Can be covered and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days or wrapped in foil in resealable bag or airtight container and frozen for up to 1 month.)
Whisky-Poached Pears In large saucepan, combine 3 cups water, the sugar, maple syrup and whisky. Bring to boil, stirring often, until sugar has dissolved. Reduce heat to low; add pears and cook until tender when pierced with tip of knife, 8 to 10 minutes.
Reserving poaching syrup in saucepan, transfer pears to plate and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring poaching syrup to boil and simmer until thickened and syrupy. Remove pan from heat. Set aside. (Make-ahead: Can be cooled and stored in airtight container and refrigerated for up to 3 weeks.)
Slice Gingerbread Loaf into 10 pieces. Place one slice on plate, top with large dollop of Toasted Sesame Crème Fraîche and one poached pear half. Drizzle with reserved poaching syrup. Repeat with remaining slices.
Toasted Sesame Crème Fraîche In bowl, using electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat 1/2 cup 35% whipping cream until soft peaks form. Stir in 2 tbsp maple syrup. Beat in 3/4 cup crème fraîche and 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds. Refrigerate until ready to use. (Make-ahead: Can be covered and refrigerated overnight.) Makes about 1 1/2 cups.
TEST KITCHEN TIP
For a nonalcoholic version, omit the whisky from the Gingerbread Loaf recipe, and replace the whisky in the poaching syrup with 1/2 cup water and 1 tsp vanilla.
Nutritional facts Per Serving (With 1 TBSP Syrup)
- Iron 2.3 mg
- Fibre 2 g
- Sodium 60 mg
- Sugars 108 g
- Protein 7 g
- Calories 840
- Total fat 32 g
- Cholesterol 175 mg
- Saturated fat 19 g
- Total carbohydrate 130 g
