Old-Fashioned Gingerbread with English Cream

This recipe was given to me by my mother's dear friend, Annette. She found it originally in the 1999 GOURMET magazine.    Absolutely delicious - dense, moist, full of flavor. 

Old-Fashioned Gingerbread with English Cream

(not my image)

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
a pinch ground cloves
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter
1 cup unsulfured molasses
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
3/4 cup boiling-hot water
2/3 cup sour cream
1 1/2 Tbls. fresh orange juice
English Cream - see below  (Fresh whipped cream is just as good)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter a 10 x 3 in. round or 9 in. square cake pan. Butter bottom of pan and line bottom of pan with wax paper, cut to fit and buttered on top side.

Into a bowl sift together flour, baking soda, spices, and a pinch salt. In a saucepan over low heat, melt butter with molasses.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat together sugar and egg until thick and pale. Add butter mixture and beat until just combined. Add flour mixture and beat until just combined. Add water, sour cream, and orange juice and beat 2 additional minutes.

Pour batter into cake pan and bake in middle of oven 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean and gingerbread has pulled away from side of pan. Cool gingerbread in pan on a rack and invert onto rack. Will keep in an airtight container at room temperature 3 days. Serve with English cream. Serves 10-12.

English Cream

1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup sugar
2 large egg yolks
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup well-chilled heavy cream

Have ready a large bowl of ice and cold water. In a heavy saucepan bring milk to a simmer. In a bowl whisk together sugar and yolks and add hot milk in a stream, whisking. Pour mixture into saucepan and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it is thickened and digital thermometer registers 175 degrees. (Do not let boil). Immediately pour custard through a fine sieve into a metal bowl and set bowl in ice water. Stir in vanilla and cool custard completely. Custard may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered.
Just before serving, in a clean bowl with an electric mixer beat cream until it holds stiff peaks and fold in custard. Makes about 2 cups.