I love ginger. This cookie is so terrifically filled with ginger that I had to call it Gingerific! The baking of these cookies brings who ever is in the house to the kitchen rather quickly. The smell of the wafting through the house is magic! Cocoa loves the new kitchen island as you can see. He loves to keep me company as I cook, tucked under, out of the way, always with that one leg hanging down. He's my guard cat placed between myself and the door. Occasionally he'll throw out a soft meow to let me know he's still there.
Art by Gerard Conte ©2011
The search for the best ginger snap started many years ago. My father's favorite cookie was a crisp yet soft centered ginger snap he would describe to me from his childhood. I must have tried 25 recipes over the years. I'd bake a batch and bring or send them to him for a taste test. Over and over we did this until the base for this recipe was discovered in the King Arthur Flour's 200th Anniversary Cookbook. Many of you know I read (cover-to-cover) and collect cookbooks like a comic book collector does. (Yeah for the cookbook shelves in the new kitchen... which are almost full... must make room for more.) This is a WONDERFUL cookbook and worthy of space on your shelf.
Today I thought I'd share this household favorite on Sunday, May 8, the last day of National Cookie Week. Enjoy!
This is an adaptation of that recipe from King Arthur Flour's 200th Anniversary Cookbook.
Gingerific Snaps
Makes 10-12 dozen
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) of butter at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup dark unsulphured molasses
4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
5 tablespoons powdered ginger
1 1/2 cups chopped crystallized ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
Rolling sugar (I mix this up twice per batch)
Mix 1/4 cup granulated sugar + 1/4 teaspoon kosher large flake salt
Mix it well as not to have patches of salt.
Let's get to it:
In a large bowl combine the flour, soda, salt, gingers and cinnamon. Mix well and set aside.
Cream the butter until fluffy then add in the sugar and mix together until its light and airy. Next add in the eggs and beat until well mixed. Don't rush this part as it properly aerates the dough.
Add in the flour, about a cup at a time, until all is well mixed.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill for a few hours (even over night is OK.)
About 10 minutes before you plan to take the dough out of the fridge, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Roll the dough into quarter sized pieces between your hands then roll them in the Rolling Sugar mixture listed above.
Place them on a lightly greased cookie sheet or ungreased silpats. I gently flatten then a little (just a little as they do spread a little as they cook.)
Bake for 10-12 minutes.
The bottoms will be light browned. Taking them out at this point will leave the centers chewy.
If you want them only crispy, you can experiment with baking them longer. I recommend them chewy. They. Are. Wonderful.
Art by Gerard Conte ©2011
No comments:
Post a Comment