Creativity in the Kitchen

By Carol Woolum Roberts

Today I am sharing two kinds of creativity.

The first is baking gingerbread from scratch and pairing it with Salted Caramel Whipped Cream.  This part was easy.

The second part was a little outside of my comfort zone.

I nixed the original idea of video taping the entire process of me making the dessert.  That was just a little much for me to handle.

Instead I took photos and some video, and created a video with me narrating the steps to making this dessert.

This way wasn’t quite as bad, but there were a few mishaps.

I used baking powder instead of baking soda.

I had the camera turned the wrong way to video what I was doing.

I made the caramel a little too dark.

I talk too quietly on the video.  You can probably hear it better with headphones, ear buds, etc.

In the long run, who cares?  Who cares if I messed up the recipe a bit, or I did some weird videoing, or I talked too quietly.

The main thing is I tried something new.  A new recipe, and a new way to share a blog post.

I learned some things.

The dessert was delicious.

I learned some new skills in making a video.

All in all…a good attempt at both types of creativity.

And here is Erin French’s recipe from “The Lost Kitchen” cookbook. A big thanks to my sister Christy for assigning me this recipe for dinner this week!

Gingerbread WITH SALTED CARAMEL WHIPPED CREAM

16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for the pan

2½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan

2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

1 cup boiling water

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cloves

2 teaspoons salt

½ cup packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 cup molasses

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9-inch square baking dish.

Add the fresh ginger to the boiling water and let steep for 15 to 20 minutes.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar on high speed until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes (though I've been known to let it go for 10 to 15 if I'm multitasking). Add the egg, beat until fully incorporated, then mix in the molasses. Using a rubber spatula, gently stir in the dry ingredients by hand until just incorporated. Add the hot water and ginger and mix just until smooth.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and bake until a cake tester or knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.

Let the gingerbread cool slightly before slicing into squares. Serve topped with salted caramel whipped cream.

SERVES 8

SALTED CARAMEL WHIPPED CREAM

½ cup sugar

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 2/3 cups heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon Maldon salt

In a small heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar with

2 tablespoons water. Cook over high heat until the sugar turns golden

brown, 4 to 5 minutes.

Reduce the heat to low and slowly and carefully (the mixture will bubble up) add the butter, whisking constantly. Slowly drizzle in 2/3 cup of the cream while whisking, mixing until the butter is melted and the caramel is smooth. Remove from the heat and whisk in the salt. Allow to cool completely.

Using a hand mixer, stand mixer, or whisk, whip the remaining 2 cups cream to hold firm peaks. Fold in the cooled caramel.

MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS

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What is something you might like to try, but it is a little out of your comfort zone?

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