It's summer. And not to say I would turn down a stick-to-your-ribs piece of chocolate cake, but I feel good about this dessert. I will claim it as my current favorite. We made four, each ate one and while I'd normally give the rest away, these little babes are tucked away my fridge for this afternoon. I doubted them, thinking they looked like ginger egg souffles coming out of the oven, but looks can be deceiving. A zesty ginger angel food cake of sorts, with the tang of fresh blackberries and the warm sweetness of a ripe, white peach. It's not that any of the three components are show stoppers on their own, but together, the combination is absolute perfection. This dessert is a case in point, that heavy and rich is not always better. If I were serving this to other people, I would consider adding a very small scoop of good vanilla bean ice cream on top. However, for the sunny days of August, where it is just me and Hugh needing an afternoon treat, they are perfect as is.
My side note: a few of you think myself, Sara, take the pictures here on Sprouted Kitchen. I wish it were the case, I would love to have his talent, but Hugh is the genius who makes my cooking look even better than it actually is. He encourages me to make good foods, so he can take pictures like we have here; I am a lucky lady. Don't worry, I pay him with ginger cakes.
GINGER CAKES WITH WHITE PEACHES + BLACKBERRY COULIS // Makes 4 Small Cakes
Inspired by The Golden Door Cooks at Home by Dean Rucker
Tip: Egg whites are easier to beat when they sit at room temperature for a bit. As far as substitutes, you could use regular white sugar instead of what is listed below if that is what you bake with, and have on hand. I imagine they could be made gluten free with rice flour or a gf baking mix, but I haven't tested that myself. I like a lot of ginger, and found the below measurement to be pretty modest. If you make them, I'd love to hear your feedback on the ratio!
3 Extra Large Egg Whites (4 if any smaller)
1/2 tsp. Cream of Tartar
Pinch of Salt
1/4 Cup Natural Cane Sugar/Sucanat
1/4 Scant Cup Turbinado Sugar
1 tsp. Real Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 Tbp. Fresh Grated Ginger
1/4 Cup Unbleached All Purpose Flour
1 Ripe, Organic White Peach
1 1/4 Cup Blackberries
Juice of one Lime, about 2 Tbsp.
1 Tbsp. Honey
1 Tbsp. Half+Half/Heavy Cream
Oven to 350'
1. In a mixing bowl, beat the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt with a hand mixer on high until peaks form (about 3 minutes). They should quadruple in size. Once it's holding shape, continue beating it, while slowly sprinkling in the sugars. Beat in the vanilla extract and fresh grated ginger.
2. Using a rubber spatula, sprinkle and fold in the 1/4 flour, being careful not to deflate the egg whites.
3. Coat four, 4-6 oz. ramekins with natural cooking spray, gently divide cake mix between them. Place ramekins on a baking sheet, and put in the oven on the middle rack. Bake for 14 minutes. Allow them to cool about 5 minutes, then remove them from the ramekin. * I give mine a good slam down on a cutting board, and flip them over, the cake comes right out.
4. While the cakes are cooking, blend the blackberries, lime juice, honey and splash of cream together. Taste for sweetness, as the quality/ripeness of the berries may require you to add a tad more honey, it should be tart.
5. Cut the peach in half, and in thin slices.
6. Assemble with one cake, a few spoonfuls of the blackberry sauce and some fresh peach slices.
