Prune Armagnac Gingerbread Recipes

PRUNES IN ARMAGNAC

Steps:

• Place 3 cups of water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, add the tea bags, and steep for 5 minutes. Discard the tea bags, add the prunes and honey, turn the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 3 minutes to plump the prunes.
• Pour the prunes and all the liquid into a medium bowl and stir in the Armagnac, vanilla, orange juice, vanilla bean, and cinnamon sticks. With a vegetable peeler, cut 4 large strips of zest from 1 lemon and add to the mixture. Cut the lemon in half, cut 4 (1/2-inch-thick) slices, and add to the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature for 6 to 12 hours. (If you're not serving the prunes that day, refrigerate them in their liquid.)
• To serve, place the prunes in shallow dessert bowls and serve cold, at room temperature, or slightly warmed, spooning the macerating liquid over them. Add a scoop of ice cream, a drizzle of Armagnac, a drizzle of honey, and a sprinkling of grated lemon zest. (You'll be surprised how much flavor this adds!) Serve immediately.

PRUNE ARMAGNAC GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 10-inch springform pan and dust with cocoa powder, knocking out excess.
• In a skillet cook prunes, Armagnac, and gingerroot over moderately high heat, stirring frequently, until almost all liquid is evaporated. Remove pan from heat.
• Into a bowl sift flour, baking soda, spices, and salt. In another bowl with an electric mixer cream shortening. Add sugar, beating, and beat mixture until light and fluffy. Add molasses in a stream, beating until combined well. Beat in coffee, flour mixture, eggs, and vanilla until batter is just combined. (It may separate at this point.) Reserve 1 tablespoon crystallized ginger and stir remainder into batter with prune mixture. Turn batter into prepared pan and sprinkle top with reserved ginger.
• Bake gingerbread 1 hour 20 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean, and cool on a rack 1 hour. (The gingerbread will fall slightly in center.)
• Serve gingerbread warm or at room temperature with crème fraîche and kumquats.

PRUNE ARMAGNAC CLAFOUTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 10-by-1 1/2-inch round baking dish with the butter and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar.
• In a small bowl, combine the prunes with 2 tablespoons of Armagnac and microwave on high for 1 minute. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and 1/3 cup granulated sugar on medium-high speed for 3 minutes, until light and thick. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Combine the cream, vanilla, lemon zest, and 1 tablespoon Armagnac in a glass measuring cup. On low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the batter and then add the liquid ingredients, mixing well. Set aside for 10 minutes
• Distribute the prunes in the prepared pan and carefully pour on the batter. Sprinkle evenly with 1 teaspoon granulated sugar. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly, sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, and serve warm.

PRUNES IN ARMAGNAC

Steps:

• In a small, non-reactive saucepan, combine the water and sugar. With a thin sharp knife, split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Add the seeds and bean to the pan and bring to a boil over moderately high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
• Place the prunes in a clean dry jar and pour the syrup over them. Allow to cool completely, then stir in the Armagnac. Refrigerate for at least 1 week before serving.
• Refrigerated, the prunes will keep indefinitely.

PRUNE-ARMAGNAC MOUSSE

Steps:

• Place prunes, tea, & sugar in a nonreactive saucepan with a cover. Gently simmer covered 10 minutes, add Armagnac & simmer uncovered for 5 minutes more. Add lemon juice. Set aside 4 prunes to drain for garnish.
• Puree rest of the prunes in food processor with 1/2 of the simmering liquid. Add more liquid by the tablespoonful if needed to keep puree from becoming too thick. You are shooting for a loose but jammy (not liquidy) consistency. Taste & add more sugar if necessary. Cool to room temp then chill in fridge 30 minutes to 1 hour - do not let get too thick to fold in whipped cream.
• Whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks and fold it into the prune puree.
• Whip the egg whites until sharp peaks form (but not dry) and fold them into the prunes. Fold the grated chocolate into mousse with the egg whites.
• Pour into tall champagne flutes, dust with cocoa powder, garnish with reserved prune and chill for two hours before serving.

PRUNE ARMAGNAC SORBET

Steps:

• Combine prunes and Armagnac in an airtight container and let macerate at room temperature at least 24 hours.
• Bring sugar and 3/4 cup cold water to a boil in a 1-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes.
• Purée prune and Armagnac mixture with sugar syrup in a food processor until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Add orange juice and remaining 1 1/4 cups cold water and pulse to combine. Force through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and discard solids. Chill until cold, about 1 hour. Freeze in ice cream maker, then transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden, at least 2 hours.

PRUNE-ARMAGNAC FILLING

Steps:

• Combine prunes and Armagnac in a small bowl. Cover with plastic; let soak overnight.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spread hazelnuts on a baking sheet. Toast until skins split, 8 to 10 minutes. Rub warm nuts in a clean kitchen towel, removing skins. Set aside.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer prunes to the bowl of a food processor. Add toasted hazelnuts and honey; pulse until finely ground. Transfer to a small bowl, and cover. Set aside at room temperature until ready to use.

PRUNES IN ARMAGNAC

Steps:

• Bring prunes, 1 cup Armagnac, and the sugar to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook until liquid is syrupy and prunes are softened, about 20 minutes.
• Transfer prunes in syrup to a heatproof bowl, and stir in remaining 2 tablespoons Armagnac and the cinnamon. Let cool. Spoon prunes over ice cream, and drizzle with some syrup.