Prune Armagnac Gingerbread Food

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 AND ARMAGNAC TART

Steps:

• Grease a 23cm/9in loose-bottomed, deep-sided tart tin with butter and dust with flour.
• For the pastry, sift the flour and icing sugar into a bowl, then rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
• Make a well in the centre of the mixture. Crack in the eggs and stir using your fingertips until the mixture comes together as a sticky dough.
• Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead lightly until smooth. Flatten to a thickness of 1cm/½in using the palms of your hands, then cover with cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, for the filling, add all of the prunes, 150ml/5fl oz of the Armagnac, 100g/3½oz of the caster sugar, and 100ml/3½fl oz of water to a saucepan. Bring the mixture to the boil, then turn off the heat and set aside for 5-10 minutes, or until the prunes have absorbed the liquid and plumped up and softened.
• Roll out the pastry onto a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 3mm.
• Carefully line the prepared tart tin with the pastry, pressing it into the edges of the tin. Take care not to stretch or break the pastry.
• Blend half of the soaked prunes with 3 tablespoons of the soaking liquid in a food processor until smooth and puréed. Spread this mixture over the base of the pastry case.
• Preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5.
• For the filling, beat the butter and the remaining caster sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until they have all been fully incorporated into the mixture. Fold in the flour and ground almonds carefully with the last of the Armagnac.
• Spoon the mixture into the pastry case and smooth the top. Decorate the top of the filling with the remaining soaked prunes and the blanched whole almonds (reserve the remaining soaking liquid).
• Bake the tart for 25-35 minutes, or until the filling is golden brown, puffed up slightly and darker brown around the edges.
• Just before serving, heat the remaining soaking liquid in a small pan. Bring to the boil, then reduce and simmer for 5-10 minutes, or until sticky and syrupy.
• When the tart comes out of the oven, trim the excess pastry from the edges to give a clean edge and brush the top with the Armagnac syrup.
• Whisk the double cream in a bowl until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed. Gently whisk in the remaining Armagnac. Dust the tart with icing sugar.
• Serve the tart hot or warm with the Armagnac cream.

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:

• 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.

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 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.