Chocolate-Glazed Ginger Spice Cakes ~ 薑香甘那許小蛋糕 **Happy Thanksgiving**

You are looking at a chocoholic here! Yup, c'est moi! I have a weakness for chocolate, not just any chocolates but the dark variety! Quality dark chocolates are very flavorful: first acidity, then bitterness, followed by sugary and salty tastes. The taste lingers in the mouth and has robust flavors. Plus it contains the heart healthy antioxidants; there is no reason why I would not pick dark chocolates over any other chocolates. The best one that I tasted so far is by far the Valrhona brand gourmet chocolates. I stash a box of Valrhona Manjari/Jivara lait dark chocolate in my drawer at my desk for emergency call especially on those project nights. You can buy Valrhona brand chocolate in specialty stores like Sur la table and from online. Recently, I also found it at Trader Joe's!

If you would have asked me a year ago, I would have told you that I don’t care for chocolates (fattening)! Unfortunately, I am surrounded by die-hard chocoholics like Caroline who insists on her daily dose of chocolate to get her through the day and sworn by its calming power. This chocolate love virus rubs off on me as time passes by. Now, I mourn the lost of my girly figure :-P


My love for chocolate turned into my obsession for chocolaty desserts. I first made these lovely looking, sinfully delicious ginger spice mini cakes covered in chocolate ganache last holiday as a thank you treats on Thanksgiving for my staffs! It was a winner, hands down! I am doing this again this holiday for people who I am thankful to (I will be making something different for work!). I got the clue that people loved it very much except for that ginger garnish since it was the only thing left in the box that the cakes came in. Darn it! That was the best part! I guess I am the only devoted fan for crystallized ginger. This mini cake used a lot of spices that I have never heard of or used it in the past. These spices may probably be an experienced cook's staples but not for a novice like me! It was a challenge to get all those spices but I managed to get some help from a staff at my local Whole Food Market. BTW, I think this is the only challenge part; the rest was just a piece of cake (does this means…I’m getting better at baking?!)

These cakes are full-flavored. The combinations of spices are truly a feast to the taste buds and so aromatic! It is indeed very rich so best when eaten with a glass of cold milk or a cup of green tea. Although I added more grated fresh ginger then the recipe asked for, it was still not enough ginger to my taste. However, you can taste the so very aromatic cinnamon and nutmeg in every bite! The cake is unbelievably moist and can be kept in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Although it is best eaten with the ganache glazing but it is also superb without. I suggest you eat it warm with a super size cup of ginger spice latte! Simply divine!

Last but not least, I hope you all have a wonderful turkey day! Don't eat too much now ^0^


Prep:
- Bring the butter out from the fridge 20 minutes before so it will return to room temperature. It should be pliable but not melted.
- Move a rack to the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degree F/180 degree C.
- Bing the egg back to room temperature by leaving it in a bowl of warm water, 5 minutes.
- Chop chocolates into tiny pieces.

I thought you should know:
- Since molasses makes the cakes sticky; butter the muffin pans generously so the cake will slide right out and you have a beautifully shaped cake.
- I only used half of the chocolate ganache so you may want to divide that recipe in half. I used the leftover to make truffles!
- These cakes, if wrapped nicely, makes very impressive presents.

Chocolate Ganache
2 cup heavy cream
1 lbs semi-sweet chocolate

Everyone think that ganache is hard to make. There is nothing to be afraid of. This could be the easiest thing that you’ll learn to make. All you need are cream and chocolate. Depends on the proportion of these 2, you can also make truffles too!

Bring cream to a boil over medium heat. Add the chocolate to the cream and swirl. Let wait for 5 minutes, stir until completely melted and smooth (no more lump). Let cool a bit before it is spoon over the cakes. If it harden, put it in a bath of hot water and it will become liquidize again.

Ginger Spice Cakes
Make 1 dozen

5tbs unsalted butter @ room temperature
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
1tsp baking soda
2/3 cup boiling water
1tsp baking powder
1tsp ground ginger powder
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp salt
½ cup packed dark-brown sugar
1 (L size) egg
2/3 cup unsulfured molasses
1 ½ tsp finely grated fresh ginger (I added another tablespoon!)
Some crystallized ginger slices for garnish


In a small bowl, stir together the baking soda with the boiling water; set aside. Shift together the flour, baking powder, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt; set aside. In an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the dark brown sugar with the butter until color turns light brown and appears fluffy. Add the egg and beat till combined. Follow by the molasses, fresh ginger, and the baking soda mixture; beat till combined. The batter may look kind of spotted and curdled (little dots of grated gingers) at this point but it will become incorporated once flour is added. Next, add the flour mixture; beat until completely combined.

Divide batter evenly among the muffin pans; filing each about half way. Place into oven and bake for 20 minutes. Rotate if necessary. Transfer to wire rack to cool for 15 minutes then invert cakes to cool completely.

Set rack over a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spoon a spoonful of chocolate ganache glaze over each cake; letting some drip down the sides. Garnish with strips of crystallized ginger. Once glazed, cakes can be refrigerated in airtight container. Bring to room signature before serving.


我是一個chocoholic﹗以前的我是不愛吃巧克力的﹐因為會致胖呀@_@﹗但是我認識的人裡有很多是chocoholic，久而久之我也被感染了。我對巧克力很挑剔的。我只愛黑巧克力﹗個人覺得歐蕾和白巧克力加了太多糖份﹐沒了巧克力的原味。很多人以為黑巧克力味道苦澀。其實品質好的黑巧克力可是很有層次﹐苦中帶甘的﹐令人齒頰留香。而且黑巧克力比其它巧克力多了一種對我們心臟有益的抗氧劑。和紅酒有異曲同工的效果喔。理由夠充足吧? 你說我怎能不愛死它﹗就目前為止﹐我品嘗到的最優的一個品牌顯然是Valrhona品牌巧克力。就連我很崇拜的Pierre Hermé大師也是對這品牌推崇不已。可想而知﹐味道很讚﹗我的抽屜裡是固定放著一盒Valrhona的Manjari/Jivara lait巧克力﹐是我捱夜做project時的食糧。它有讓我鎮定的特質^0^。Valrhona品牌巧克力可以在Sur la table, Trader Joe’s和這裡找到。嘗過一定變fans!

我對巧克力的喜愛演變成現在對巧克力甜點的著迷。就這道薑香甘那許蛋糕﹐光看就口水直流。零六年的感恩節做過一次送員工們。他們超愛﹐除了糖薑絲外都給我吃個清光﹗還有就是這個小蛋糕用了很多我從未聽過或使用過的香料。這些香料對一個像我這樣的新手很是陌生﹗我看到傻眼*__* 我讓超市裡的員工幫忙找。Whole Food的員工好讚喔﹗

這薑香甘那許蛋糕是籍由香味的組合與變化﹐讓蛋糕除了在舌尖留下味覺與質感﹐同時還能對嗅覺產生刺激。有著強烈香味又風味十足是特色。甘那許那濃郁的甜味﹐在辛辣的香氣中和之後變的清爽。很奇妙的配搭。因為味道強烈﹐我建議配一杯冰的牛奶中和一下。其實綠茶﹐ginger latte也不錯喔。還有將蛋糕裝進放了漂亮紗紙的禮盒裡﹐就是一份得體又獨特的禮物。

最后,希望大家有個愉快的Thanksgiving! 不要吃太多喔^0^


事前準備:
- 先把奶油從冰箱取出，使恢復為室溫。用手指戳一下奶油, 變軟即可, 備用。
- 將一烤架移到烤箱中間，烤箱預熱至350F/180C。
- 12杯的muffin模具抹上厚厚的奶油，灑上可可粉後倒出多餘的粉後﹐備用。
- 蛋從冰箱取出，放溫水中回室溫。
- 將巧克力塊切碎。


要注意什麼呢?
- 因為糖蜜的關係﹐蛋糕很濕潤、鬆軟﹐所以不易脫模。切記模具一定要抹上厚厚的奶油﹐蛋糕才會脫的漂亮。
- 那個甘那許我只用掉一半﹐為求不浪費, 可以將食譜份量除以二。

巧克力甘那許糖衣
2 杯 鮮奶油
1 磅 可可含量55%的巧克力

甘那許即巧克力醬。是以苦甜巧克力及動物性鮮奶油以1:1的比例混合製成的。多用作裝飾用途。很多人以為甘那許很難製作﹐其實一點都不難﹗秘訣是將巧克力及鮮奶油攪拌均勻順滑就成了。還有不同比例的鮮奶油和巧克力﹐還可以做出巧克力松露呢。

鮮奶油裝進小鍋裡﹐開中火煮沸﹐熄火。加入切碎的巧克力塊﹐輕輕搖幾下﹐好讓鮮奶油覆蓋巧克力碎塊﹐靜置五分鐘。用橡皮刀攪拌均勻至順滑看不見碎粒即可﹐備用。

薑香小蛋糕
12個份量

5湯匙 無鹽奶油 (室溫)
1 ½杯 麵粉
1茶匙 蘇打粉 (baking soda)
2/3杯 熱水
1茶匙 發粉/泡打粉 (baking powder)
1茶匙 薑粉
¾茶匙 肉桂粉
¼茶匙 丁香粉
¼茶匙 肉豆蔻粉
¼茶匙 鹽
½杯 黑糖
1(L尺寸) 全蛋(室溫)
2/3杯 甘蔗糖蜜
1½湯匙 薑茸(我外加1湯匙)
適量 裝飾用糖薑絲

將蘇打粉和熱水混合﹐拌勻﹐備用。麵粉、泡打粉、香料等混合後過篩﹐備用。用電動攪拌器以中速攪打奶油和黑糖﹐攪打至富含空氣且顏色變淡﹐成乳霜狀為止。用橡皮刀源邊往下刮翻拌勻。加入蛋﹐繼續攪打至均勻後﹐再加入甘蔗糖蜜、薑茸、蘇打水﹐充分攪打均勻(這時會出現一點分離現象﹐但只要拌入麵粉﹐麵糊就會變得滑順。)。最後加入麵粉﹐拌勻後倒入烤模中﹐約五分滿。放進預熱過的烤模裡﹐烘烤約20分鐘。

用竹籤插入中央﹐慢慢拔出時不會沾黏﹐就烤好了。從烤箱取出﹐擺在網架上放涼15分鐘﹐然後翻轉倒扣﹐蛋糕脫模後﹐整個放涼。將放涼的蛋糕連網架擺放在烤紙上﹐舀一大匙微溫的巧克力醬, 淋在蛋糕上(任巧克力醬溢滿源周邊流下)。記住這時動作要迅速，因為溫度容易下降﹐巧克力醬會凝固。在蛋糕上面擺放糖薑絲﹐待巧克力甘那許糖衣凝固即可。將蛋糕放入密閉的容器裡後放冰箱﹐可存放3天。吃的時後﹐將蛋糕回室溫就可。


Recipe from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook