Dessert: Prune Armagnac Gingerbread

This recipe includes superfoods such as:

Cinnamon

Health benefits of Prune Armagnac Gingerbread

Cinnamon is one of the best ingredients that someone with insulin sensitivity can eat. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to be very effective at normalizing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon contains hydroxychalcone, which is thought to enhance the effects of insulin. It has also been suggested that Cinnamon prevents post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing the gastric emptying rate - meaning that food digests slowly. (Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11506060).

Ingredients

unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting pan
1 cup chopped pitted prunes
1/2 cup Armagnac or Cognac
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh gingerroot
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable shortening at room temperature
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 cup unsulfured molasses
1/2 cup strong brewed coffee
4 large eggs, beaten lightly
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger
crème fraîche or sour cream for serving
sliced kumquats for garnish

Instructions

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.

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