Warm Up with Mediterranean Spice, Orange, and EVOO Infused Gingerbread
Approximately 25,000 cups of tea are enjoyed per second around the globe. January is National Tea Month, and this recipe is the perfect partner for one of the world's favorite beverages. When temperatures drop to frigid levels, as they are right now in the Washington, DC area, I turn to spice-infused recipes, hot drinks, and lots of extra-virgin olive oil to soothe my psyche and warm my spirits, all while reaping extra anti-inflammatory benefits.
Winter baking is especially satisfying, and I'm always looking for fun ways spend more quality time with the oven in cold weather. This month I can't get enough of all things ginger. Ginger arrived in the Mediterranean via India where Ayurvedic doctors regard it as a traditional therapy known to activate the body's fire element. It's used to burn up toxins, relieve muscle inflammation, motion sickness, morning sickness and aid digestion.
For those reasons, my attention has shifted to gingerbread - not the cookies that are normally associated with Christmas, but the loaves that were introduced to Europe from the Eastern Mediterranean. Even though we know consider gingerbread to be an English or American type of sweet treat, its' roots are definitely global. In 16th century England, during the Elizabethan era, lexicographer John Baret described gingerbread as a cake made to comfort the stomach. In the United States, the recipe can be traced back to George Washington's mother who made the batter into eagle-shaped cookies.
Mediterranean Spice, Orange, and EVOO Infused Gingerbread
Since the holidays are behind us, but the cold weather is not, I created a ginger batter for bread instead of cookies, that could be savored with tea, coffee, or hot chocolate. I incorporated spices that I brought back from Morocco along with my Amy Riolo Selections EVOO and added the best artisan candied orange peel I have ever tasted from Sicily available via LIFeSTYLE. This recipe is perfect for breakfast, brunch, tea-time, or a late night snack. You can also make muffins instead of bread out of the batter if you choose.
Ingredients
½ cup brown sugar
2 large eggs room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup molasses
½ cup hot water
2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon unrefined sea salt
Juice and zest of 1 orange
9 strips Scorza d'arancia Orange Peel from LIFeSTYLE, if desired
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar, for garnish, if desired
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Oil a 9x5 loaf pan with 1 teaspoon EVOO and set aside. In a large bowl of a standing mixer or regular large bowl, add EVOO and sugar. Mix with a wooden spoon or paddle attachment on medium speed until combined.
Add eggs and vanilla, mixing until light yellow and fluffy, about a minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. In a separate small bowl, add molasses and hot water. Whisk until combined. In another medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and sea salt.
Add half of the dry ingredients to the EVOO/sugar mixture, stirring until mostly incorporated. Then, add half of the molasses mixture, stirring until incorporated. Stir in orange juice and zest. Repeat a final time, adding your remaining dry ingredients and molasses mixture. Stir until just combined. Chop up six of the orange peels, if using, and stir into batter.
Pour batter into loaf pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out dry. Transfer loaf pan to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before removing from pan and slicing. Dust with confectioner's sugar and place 3 candied orange peels on top to decorate. Wrap leftover gingerbread in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator, or freezer, until using.