Ginger Delight: Fresh Gingerbread and Spicy Ginger Cookies |
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Prep Time: 40 Minutes Cook Time: 30 Minutes |
Ready In: 70 Minutes Servings: 6 |
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A perfect food gift for this festive season. I enjoy this as a dessert after food. This keeps well for 4-5 days if wrapped in clingfilm and frozen. Thaw before serving. Enjoy! The cookies can be stored upto 1 month in an airtight container. Recipe from Weekend magazine dated December 23rd'2005 from the FOOD column by Sally Schneider. Ingredients:
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened |
1 teaspoon unsalted butter, softened |
1 3/4 cups sifted cake flour or 1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour |
1 teaspoon baking soda |
1 teaspoon ground ginger |
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon |
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard |
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom |
1 pinch salt |
1 large egg |
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar, packed |
1/4 cup unsulphured molasses |
2 tablespoons unsulphured molasses |
3 tablespoons grated fresh ginger |
2 tablespoons strong brewed coffee |
1 teaspoon vanilla essence |
1/2 cup buttermilk |
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar |
1 cup sugar |
1 teaspoon baking soda |
1/2 cup ground ginger |
1 tablespoon finely ground black pepper |
2 teaspoons ground allspice |
2 teaspoons ground cloves |
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg |
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper |
3/4 cup unsalted butter |
3/4 cup pure maple syrup or 3/4 cup honey |
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup |
2 tablespoons unsulphured molasses |
4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour |
2 tablespoons milk (optional) |
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Grease a cake tin with 1 teaspoons of butter.
3. Tap in 1 teaspoons of flour to the tin so that the tin is lightly dusted with flour.
4. In a clean bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and the spices.
5. Beat the egg into a large bowl.
6. Add brown sugar and cream well.
7. Fold in the butter, molasses and ginger.
8. Pour in the coffee and vanilla essence. Mix well to combine.
9. Now, add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternating with each other. Keep mixing as you gradually add these to the bread batter.
10. Pour the prepared batter into the greased and floured cake tin.
11. To distribute the batter evenly in the tin, beginning at the edge of the bread, move your index finger in a spiral through the top 1/4 inch of the batter until you reach the centre.
12. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a thin, sharp knife inserted in the centre of the bread comes out clean.
13. Cool the bread on a wire rack for 20 minutes and then unmould carefully by running a knife around the edges of the pan and then inverting the bread onto a rack.
14. Allow it to cool completely.
15. Place the bread upside down on a plate.
16. Sift the confectioner's sugar on top of the bread, slice and serve!
17. Note: If you do not have buttermilk on hand, you can prepare it at home. Here's how:.
18. Take 3/4 cup of milk and add the juice of 1 lemon to it. Do not mix. Let the mixture curdle. After 10 minutes, mix and use instead of buttermilk.
19. For the Spicy Ginger Cookies:.
20. Combine the sugar, baking soda, ginger, pepper, cloves, nutmeg, allspice and cayenne in a bowl.
21. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar mixture until it appears pale and fluffy.
22. Add maple syrup or honey and the molasses and beat well.
23. Fold in the flour, one cup at a time.
24. If the dough is too dry, you may stir in the milk.
25. Divide the dough into 4 equal parts.
26. Shape into 4(9-by-1-inch) logs.
27. Wrap in plastic wrap or clingfilm.
28. Refrigerate for atleast 24 hours or freeze the dough for upto 2 months. Allow to thaw in the refrigerator many hours before slicing.
29. Preheat oven to 350°F.
30. Use a sharp thin knife to slice the dough into 1/8 inch-thickness discs.
31. Arrange discs on cookie sheets.
32. Bake for 9-11 minutes, i.e., until the cookies are firm and just beginning to brown.
33. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely before serving.
34. Enjoy!
35. Note: The amount of pepper can be cut back on and the cayenne omitted altogether for a less spicy cookie.
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