’Tis the Season for a Festive Warm Gingerbread Cake
Is there anything more magical than immersing yourself in the splendor of snow or bundling up near a roaring fire with a delicious treat during the holidays? Vista Verde Guest Ranch, located just north of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, offers the perfect winter ambience to indulge in their Warm Gingerbread Cake with Crème Anglaise.
This dark, moist gingerbread cake is a favorite of guests at the ranch, where it’s cut into individual portions and set on a pool of luscious custard sauce.
Warm Gingerbread Cake with Crème Anglaise (12-by-9 1/2-by-4 pan)
Warm Gingerbread Cake with Crème Anglaise
Ingredients for the cake:
1 cup dark molasses
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
½ cup butter at room temperature
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
Unsweetened cocoa and/or powdered sugar (optional)
Fresh mint springs (optional), rinsed
Ingredients for crème anglaise:
1 quart milk
2/3 cup sugar
8 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla
Preheat oven to 325 F. In a 2- to 3-quart pan over high heat, bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in molasses and baking soda. After the mixture stops foaming, stir in 1/2 cup of cold water; let cool to room temperature, stirring often, about 10 minutes.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, salt and cloves in a small bowl.
In a large bowl, use an electric mixer at high speed and beat butter and brown sugar until well-blended. Beat in eggs until blended. Reduce speed to medium-low. Add flour and molasses mixtures alternately until incorporated, then beat on high speed until well blended. Pour into a buttered and floured 9-inch square pan.
Bake in a 325 F regular or convection oven for 45-50 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of the thickest part comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a rack at least 1 1/4 hours.
Next, make the crème anglaise. Start with a 3- to 4-quart pan over medium heat. Stir milk and sugar often for 10 to 12 minutes until the mixture begins to bubble around the edges of the pan. Remove from heat.
Whisk about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture into egg yolks, then pour the mixture into the pan and whisk to blend. Stir with a flexible spatula over medium-low heat for 10 to 14 minutes until custard coats the spatula in a smooth, velvety layer. Remove from heat and pour through a fine strainer set over a bowl. Set the bowl in a container of ice water and stir often until cool. Stir in vanilla. Serve cool or cold.
Pour about 1/4 cup crème anglaise onto each plate. Cut the cake into pieces (see notes) and set them in sauce on plates. If desired, lightly sift cocoa and/or powdered sugar over each plate and garnish with a mint sprig. Offer remaining crème anglaise to add to taste.
Tip: You can make the cake up to two days ahead; cool, cover and store airtight at room temperature.
Jonathon Gillespie, Vista Verde Guest Ranch director of food and beverage.
Jonathon Gillespie, the ranch’s director of food and beverage, has a crucial piece of advice for those looking to recreate the recipe.
“When you add the baking soda to the molasses mixture, DO NOT STIR,” Gillespie stresses. “I learned this the hard way. It WILL overflow everywhere.”
An avid outdoorsman himself, Gillespie was drawn to the ranch after seeing a job listing that caught his eye. He came on board in 1998 and has been proudly creating innovative dishes for guests ever since.
“There was an ad in the Culinary Institute of America job listings that said, ‘From Coors to fine cabernets, Mobil 4-star luxury guest ranch seeking chef,’” Gillespie recalls. “I was burnt out working 70-80-hour weeks and ready to quit when I saw the posting. It was like everything fell into place.”
Dining at Vista Verde isn’t just about the food; it’s about connection. Gillespie prides himself on not only creating memorable dining experiences for every guest but also training new crew members each season.
“There has been an open-door policy between the guests and the kitchen. We try to make them feel at home and welcome wherever, whenever,” Gillespie says. “Now, as time has passed and our numbers have increased, that is a lot more challenging, but it is still nice to develop that close relationship and just talk about food or wine or current trends. I guess that is one of the reasons our guests come back year after year.
“We get a new crew every season from 15-50 new staff. It keeps things fresh, meeting new people, learning their backgrounds, passions, dreams,” he continues. “It also makes it very challenging to get everyone on board, up to speed and able to deliver the level of service that is expected.”
Beyond the authentic cowboy cookouts and multi-course fine dining, guests can enjoy backcountry skiing, snowshoeing, sleigh rides and even ice fishing. If you’re dreaming of fresh mountain air, wide-open spaces and the warm embrace of Western hospitality this Christmas, Vista Verde Guest Ranch in Colorado might just be the perfect destination for your next adventure.
Plan your ultimate Christmas getaway here!
The post ’Tis the Season for a Festive Warm Gingerbread Cake appeared first on Western Horseman.