Classic Gingerbread with Honeyed Mascarpone

Gingerbread

When cake mixes became popular during the 1950s, the party was more or less over for gingerbread, which had been a favorite for centuries. Chocolate cake, yellow cake and Devil’s Food took center stage in the American kitchen.

But gingerbread is destined to make a comeback because it has exactly the kind of heat and complex flavors Americans enjoy these days. Rather than coming from herbs and chili peppers mixed into an entrée, here it is in the dessert, by way of ginger, cinnamon and other robust, aromatic spices. Sometimes there’s even dry mustard or freshly ground black pepper sprinkled in.

If thoughts of this audacious dessert strike your fancy, let me implore you not to use a mix, which may be easier but it is a one-size-fits-all proposition. At home you can choose the spices you prefer, decide how sweet you like the cake and even what sweetener you prefer. Gingerbread-from-scratch is unique and after you taste a good, homemade version you’ll understand why this spicy confection became a gift that ladies would bestow upon knights in shining armor during the Middle Ages. Why American settlers cooked it for the men who came home from military maneuvers during Muster Days on the frontier. Why one of the characters in Shakespeare’s “Loves Labors Lost” would say “an I had but one penny in the world, thou shouldst have it to buy gingerbread.” (Act 5, Scene 1)

American style gingerbread has to play a delicate balance between light and heavy. It’s supposed to be dense, not airy like layer cake but not leaden, like a day-old doughnut. It should also be confident in its assertiveness, but hold back just enough not to overwhelm. You want warmth, not fire.

It all begins with batter meant to bake moister than more familiar layer cakes. That means using liquid sweetener, at least in part. In the American colonies home cooks kept to the tradition of European gingerbread baking but were forced to use local ingredients -- maple syrup and molasses instead of refined white sugar, which was difficult to come by. Because of the larger quantities of liquid sweetener, the traditional French Pain d’epices or German Lebkuchen took a new turn in the American kitchen. Colonial gingerbreads became the new norm: dark, dense, rich and lush.

Today recipes for gingerbread may include one or a mixture of sweeteners. The most traditional will still call for molasses and perhaps brown sugar, but you can use honey, corn syrup or maple syrup for milder cake, and agave for a modern touch. White sugar is fine too, though it lacks the kick of the others.

It wouldn’t be gingerbread without the ginger; dry, fragrant and invigorating. If the powdered ginger in your cupboard is more than two years old, consider buying a new supply. Even the most expensive brands lose power over time. You can add some fresh, grated ginger to the batter, also some crushed, crystallized ginger if you like little bits and pieces in a cake.

Most gingerbread recipes also call for cinnamon, but there are other spices to consider: sweet warmth from nutmeg or the more delicate mace. Depth from clove. Or include some pungent allspice or a small blast of cayenne, powdered mustard or black pepper. Here too, be sure the spices are fresh. Pre-ground nutmeg loses flavor quickly; your baked goods will take a giant leap forward if you grate the oval, wooden looking spice for each use using a small grater (widely available and relatively inexpensive) and a whole or chunk of nutmeg. The same goes for peppercorns, always better freshly ground.

When baked, gingerbread has a surface sheen. A frosting would never do; this is meant to be a plain cake and a sweet icing would be a distraction. A blob of whipped cream or slightly sweetened mascarpone cheese are both subtle enough though, and with the cake set off a communion of warmth, spice, rich and cool on your tongue. It’s unforgettable.