5-Spice Gingerbread with Beachcomber Sauce

It may be dangerous for a cook to dig tiki flavors. The sauce is pretty obviously based on Don's Mix as discussed by Beachbum Berry. If you mix your own 5-spice, make sure it's finely ground or you'll get little flavor landmines as you chew.

5-Spice Gingerbread

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup margarine
2 eggs
16 oz. evaporated milk, divided
1 cup molasses
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp 5-spice powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground ginger

Preheat the oven to 350°.
Cream the salt and margarine.
Add the eggs, half the milk and the molasses.
Add the dry ingredients, then the rest of the milk.
Bake in a well-greased muffin tin with each cup 3/4 full for about 14-16 minutes. Test for doneness.

Beachcomber Sauce

1/2 cup butter
1 egg, beaten
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup fresh grapefruit juice
1/2 Tbsp cinnamon extract
2 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp grapefruit zest

Combine the ingredients in a sauce pan over medium heat; stir constantly until the mixture comes to the boil.

Turn out the gingerbread muffins. Pool some sauce on a dessert plate. Set a muffin upside down on the sauce. Use a bit more sauce on the muffin and top with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Repeat as needed.

Makes two dozen muffins or one large 9 x 13 cake (cook for 40-45 minutes).

[ Edited by: Professor G 2011-09-13 14:49 ]

[ Edited by: Professor G 2011-09-13 17:03 ]

[ Edited by: Professor G 2011-09-14 14:56 ]

Good looking recipe Professor G, thanks

Thanks, Mad Dog. I've tested the recipe out on various volunteers (that's the great thing about being a cook: test subjects gladly submit to being guinea pigs for new desserts). So far, the effort-to-appreciation index runs heavily in favor of the cook.

Dang it all to heck--that picture turned out pretty much to scale. I know opinion runs toward white grapefruit in Don's Mix, but ruby reds are more prevalent in the Tiki Wastelands and also this is a dessert: pretty is part of the gig.

[ Edited by: Professor G 2011-09-18 13:59 ]

I'm with you, Perfessor. purists be damned, red/pink grapefruit = tastier than white.