Traders Guide cooks
Celebrate and improve the delicious tradition of gingerbread
As reported in a release from the North American Precis Syndicate, gingerbread can be a crisp, flat cookie or a delicately spiced cake, but it always contains the spice ginger.
Although small gingerbread cakes were eaten to celebrate the winter solstice in Europe, the specific word “gingerbread” was not used to describe a cake until the 15th century.
It quickly became a popular recipe when bakers discovered that ginger helped preserve breads and pastry.
Settlers who made gingerbread in North America used local ingredients such as maple syrup.
Bakers have tried to perfect gingerbread recipes, and making a few small changes can often result in a big transformation.
Many people may think of cornstarch as an essential ingredient in the creamiest sauces and fine gravies, but its benefits have been rediscovered in baked goods, such as shortbread cookies. Using the right blend of cornstarch and flour produces a softer shortbread cookie than when using flour alone.
Preparing and decorating this scrumptious new recipe for Ginger Shortbread Cookies may become one of your family’s favorite indoor pastimes.
Ginger Shortbread Cookies
Prep time: 30 minutes
Chill time: 2 hours
Bake time: 11 minutes
Yield: 3 dozen cookies
Ingredients:
3 cups flour
1 cup light-brown sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 tablespoon dried orange peel
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon pumpkin-pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon molasses
1 tablespoon water
1 egg
1 cup cold butter cut into 1-inch pieces
Icings, sugars and sprinkles
Directions:
Mix flour, sugar, cornstarch, orange peel, ginger, pumpkin-pie spice, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk molasses, water and egg in small bowl. Set aside.
Pour molasses mixture over flour. Beat with mixer until dough forms a ball. Knead for 2 to 3 minutes until smooth. Divide in half, wrap in plastic wrap. Chill a minimum of 2 hours.
Cut butter into flour mixture using a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
Roll dough on lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutters. Place on baking sheets.
Bake for 11-13 minutes in a preheated 350-degree oven. Cool on wire racks.
Decorate as desired with icings, sugars and sprinkles.
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