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Gorgonzola-Pear Gingerbread Toasts

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Gorgonzola-Pear Gingerbread Toasts
  • Author: Delphine Fortin
  • Prep Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 45 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hour 45 mins
  • Yield: 10-12 servings 1x
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Cuisine: French

Thick, moist and generous gingerbread toasts topped with infused Timut black pepper pears and blue cheese. A beautiful sweet and savory appetizer for the holidays!

Ingredients

Scale

For the gingerbread*:

  • ⅓ cup + 1 Tablespoon (100 ml) milk
  • 3 Tablespoons (50 ml) strong coffee*
  • 2 cloves
  • ⅓ cup + 1 Tablespoon (90g) butter
  • ½ cup (90g) light or dark brown sugar**
  • 6 ounces (180g) honey
  • 1 large egg
  • ⅔ cup (80g) all-purpose flour
  • ⅔ cup (80g) rye flour, or whole wheat flour
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
  • ½ teaspoon ginger, ground

For the pears:

  • 2 small pears, peeled, cored and diced
  • 1 vanilla pod, cut lengthwise
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper**
  • 1 clove
  • 1/4 cup (50g) light brown sugar

Other ingredients:

  • 5.3 ounces (150g) Gorgonzola cheese
  • Honey
  • Rosemary

Instructions

For the gingerbread*:

  1. In measuring cup placed in the microwave, heat the milk with the coffee. Infuse the cloves, and set aside.
  2. In a separate saucepan, melt the butter with sugar and honey. Let cool slightly for about 2 minutes, then add the egg, whisking vigorously to prevent from cooking the egg.
  3. In a medium bowl, mix both flours, baking soda, salt, and spices.
  4. Pour the butter-honey mixture into the dry ingredients, then slowly pour in the milk, stirring well.
  5. Place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
  6. Preheat the oven to 340°F (170°C) and grease a 9×4-inch (24 x 10 cm) loaf pan.
  7. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 40 minutes. Let cool completely into the loaf pan.

For the pears:

  1. Place sugar, black pepper**, clove and vanilla in a saucepan. Add 2 tablespoons water and bring to boil. Turn off the heat and let infuse for about 30 minutes or ideally overnight in the refrigerator.

To assemble the toasts:

  1. Slice the gingerbread into thick layers.
  2. Add one tablespoon of pears, leaving syrup behind, sprinkle some Gorgonzola cheese. For extra toppings, add a touch of honey, rosemary leaves and extra black pepper.

Notes

* Alternatively you can go for this gingerbread recipe, which is a little bit denser in texture and slightly less sweet too: http://www.delscookingtwist.com/2017/01/20/french-spice-cake-pain-depices/

** I use freshly cracked Timut black pepper, which brings beautiful aromas.

© 2024 Del's cooking twist
https://www.delscookingtwist.com/gorgonzola-pear-gingerbread-toasts/