Chocolate Gingerbread Bars with Ginger Wine Ganache

Oh gee really? Chocolate again? Seriously?

YES!

Sorry but uh, I have a sizeable horde of choccie in my house and I feel like I have to annihilate them all quickly into a delicious oblivion. I hate to use the term “obsessed” because I really don’t like that word being melodramatically used… but you know it and I know it.

I’m obsessed I frigging love chocolate.

I do apologise though for the recent chocolate binge (I promise an influx of non-brown edible treats soon!). And before you even think about it, it has nothing to do with some monthly thang. It’s a permanent affliction mmmkay?

Alrighty, so on to these chocolatey bars (yes I say alrighty, moving on!). These came about after a sudden urge to mix spices with the sweet stuff (it ain’t my first time *wink*). Honestly though, the combination always guarantees a breeze underneath my skirt and a cheeky smile on my face. I based these on my other brownie recipe but I uh, used the wrong pan so these thick wadges look kind of cake-ish, don’t you think? But who cares? They are divine and oh so gingery. Seriously, who doesn’t love simple baked chocolate goodies like these? And if you don’t, I don’t wanna know ya! Just kidding, I’ll always love you but lets face it, our relationship might get a bit complicated…

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Chocolate Gingerbread Bars. The combo isn’t an entirely new concept but oh! what a delicious one at that! It smells and tastes like gingerbread but with a gentle hit of chocolate. It’s a perfectly balanced duo here, with neither of the stars wanting to take centre stage. And then there’s the ganache… silky, chocolatey and with a generous lashing of ginger wine. Oh bestill my heart!

And the smell! Oh the luscious smell as it’s baking… is there a bigger aphrodisiac than the aroma of spices emanating from the oven? Oh yeah… chocolate. In that case, woooh baby, these brownies are dangerously seductive. If ginger is too intense of a flavour for you, feel free to reduce the amount of ground ginger in the bar or the ginger wine in the ganache. And as if the pleasure stops there. Nuh uh. If you wish, you could also fold through a handful of chocolate chips, nuts or chopped crystallised ginger in the brownie for more PG-fun in your mouth. Why? Because you can. And because you’re worth it.

Chocolate Gingerbread Bars

Ingredients

115g unsalted butter
150g dark chocolate
150g black treacle / dark molasses
3 eggs, lightly beaten
200g plain flour
200g light brown sugar
35g cocoa powder (Dutch-processed is best)
1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tsps ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C. Then lightly grease a 20 x 20cm tin (which I used here). They’ll rise a little and they’ll be quite quite thick like cake. I recommend a slightly bigger tin so it’ll be a little thinner (but bear in mind, they won’t take as long to bake).

In a pan, gently melt butter, chocolate and molasses over low heat and stir together until combined. Set aside to cool a little.

Sift all the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cocoa, bicarb and spices) and whisk to combine, breaking up any lumps.

Add eggs and chocolate mixture and gently fold until just combined.

Pour into prepared tin and bake for 35-45 minutes or until centres spring back and a skewer comes out relatively clean (some moist crumbs on the skewer is totally fine).

Allow to cool in tin.

Ginger Wine Ganache

150g dark chocolate
150ml pouring cream (35% fat content)
1 Tbl (or two!) of Stones Ginger Wine (replace with fizzless Ginger Ale or Ginger Cordial Syrup if you wish)

Place all ingredients in a heavy-based saucepan (or a bowl over gently simmering water) and melt over low heat and stir until all combined. Leave aside to cool until it has slightly thickened but still liquid enough to pour.

Pour ganache over brownies in tin. Or if you wish, you could remove the brownies from the tin and trim the edges/tops with a serrated knife to neaten up. Then allow the ganache to cool further to a thick and spreadable consistency. Ice brownies with palette knife and cut into squares to serve.

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Tagged as: Afternoon Tea, Brownie, Chocolate, Ganache, Ginger, Spices, Stones Ginger Wine