Buttermilk Gingerbread and Pears

(makes 15 servings)

Cake
Cream together:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 Tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger

Add, mixing completely:
3 egg yolks

combine
½ cup buttermilk crème fraiche
½ cup sorghum

Add to butter mixture in 3 parts, alternating with:

2 cup AP flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda

In a mixer with a whisk, whisk to firm peaks:
3 egg whites

Fold gently into cake batter. Pour into buttered and papered quarter sheet pan. Bake at 325 for 15-20 minutes, or until cake is firm in the center. Allow to cool completely before unmolding. Cut with 60mm ring cutter. Scoop the center out of cake using a large melon baller.

Sour mash soft serve

Whisk together:
12 egg yolks
1 cup cane sugar
½ c. Vanilla Jack

Bring to a simmer:
1 qt. half and half

Temper hot cream into yolk mixture. Cook over a water bath until mixture will thickly coat the back of a wooden spoon (175’F). Chill completely. Pour into siphon bottle and charge with 3 chargers. Keep cold during service. Remainder can be frozen in ice cream containers for future use. Thaw completely first.

Pears

Peel, core and cube:
6 ripe pears

Place in medium cryovac bag and add:
1 vanilla bean
2 oz. butter
¼ cup pear brandy
2 oz. sourwood honey

Seal bag at highest pressure and cook sous vide for 2 hours, or until pears are completely translucent. Cool immediately. Hold warm on service line.

Candied Ginger

Peel and julienne:
2 oz. ginger

Toss ginger in a pan of boiling water and blanch for 2 minutes. Drain and set ginger aside.
Bring to a boil:

2 cup water
2 cup sugar

Add ginger and cook for 3 minutes, or until ginger is translucent. Drain, saving syrup for soaking cake at service. Towel dry ginger and toss in sugar. Store in sugar for service.

Pear Syrup

Juice:
4 pears, cored
1 oz. Ginger, peeled

Pour juice into a sauce pan with:
½ cup sugar

Bring to a boil and reduce by 50%. Cool completely. This is the plating sauce.

Maggie Davidson, Pastry Chef
(makes 15 servings)

Cake
Cream together:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 Tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger

Add, mixing completely:
3 egg yolks

combine
½ cup buttermilk crème fraiche
½ cup sorghum

Add to butter mixture in 3 parts, alternating with:

2 cup AP flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda

In a mixer with a whisk, whisk to firm peaks:
3 egg whites

Fold gently into cake batter. Pour into buttered and papered quarter sheet pan. Bake at 325 for 15-20 minutes, or until cake is firm in the center. Allow to cool completely before unmolding. Cut with 60mm ring cutter. Scoop the center out of cake using a large melon baller.

Sour mash soft serve

Whisk together:
12 egg yolks
1 cup cane sugar
½ c. Vanilla Jack

Bring to a simmer:
1 qt. half and half

Temper hot cream into yolk mixture. Cook over a water bath until mixture will thickly coat the back of a wooden spoon (175’F). Chill completely. Pour into siphon bottle and charge with 3 chargers. Keep cold during service. Remainder can be frozen in ice cream containers for future use. Thaw completely first.

Pears

Peel, core and cube:
6 ripe pears

Place in medium cryovac bag and add:
1 vanilla bean
2 oz. butter
¼ cup pear brandy
2 oz. sourwood honey

Seal bag at highest pressure and cook sous vide for 2 hours, or until pears are completely translucent. Cool immediately. Hold warm on service line.

Candied Ginger

Peel and julienne:
2 oz. ginger

Toss ginger in a pan of boiling water and blanch for 2 minutes. Drain and set ginger aside.
Bring to a boil:

2 cup water
2 cup sugar

Add ginger and cook for 3 minutes, or until ginger is translucent. Drain, saving syrup for soaking cake at service. Towel dry ginger and toss in sugar. Store in sugar for service.

Pear Syrup

Juice:
4 pears, cored
1 oz. Ginger, peeled

Pour juice into a sauce pan with:
½ cup sugar

Bring to a boil and reduce by 50%. Cool completely. This is the plating sauce.

Maggie Davidson, Pastry Chef