Crystallized Ginger And Apricot Bars Recipes

APRICOT PIE WITH CANDIED GINGER AND CRUNCHY TOPPING

Steps:

• Whisk flour, sugar, and salt in large bowl to blend. Add butter; rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 3 tablespoons ice water and stir until moist clumps form, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if mixture is too dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 12-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter pie dish. Fold overhang under and crimp decoratively. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Line crust with foil; fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until dough begins to set, about 20 minutes. Remove foil and beans. Bake until crust is just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes longer. Maintain oven temperature.
• Mix first 7 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Add butter; rub in with fingertips until moist clumps form.
• Mix all ingredients in large bowl to blend. Transfer to warm pie crust.
• Sprinkle topping evenly over apricot mixture. Bake pie until topping is brown and filling is bubbling thickly, about 45 minutes, covering crust with foil after 30 minutes if browning too quickly. Cool completely. Cut into wedges and serve.

CRYSTALLIZED-GINGER SPICE BARS

Steps:

• In a bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and ground spices. In another bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add molasses, egg, flour mixture, crystallized ginger, and zest and beat until a dough forms.
• On a sheet of wax paper pat dough into an 8-by-5 inch rectangle, about 1 inch thick. Chill dough, wrapped in wax paper, 4 hours, or until firm.
• (After the dough has been formed into a rectangle it can be kept in the refrigerator for one week or the freezer for one month. Thaw the frozen dough in the refrigerator until sliceable, about four hours. The baked cookies keep in airtight containers at room temperature for four days.)
• Preheat oven to 350° F. and lightly butter 2 baking sheets.
• Cut dough crosswise into slices about 1/6 inch thick and arrange about 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake bars in batches in middle of oven until deep golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes, and transfer to racks to cool. The baked cookies keep in airtight containers at room temperature for four days.

CRYSTALLIZED GINGER

Steps:

• Place ginger in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add enough water to cover by 1 inch. Partially cover saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat; boil until ginger is almost cooked through but still slightly al dente, about 1 hour. Drain.
• Weigh cooked ginger and return it to saucepan with an equal amount of sugar. Add 2 tablespoons water; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring, until ginger becomes translucent, about 20 minutes.
• Reduce heat and continue cooking, stirring, until ginger is crystallized and begins to clump in the middle of the pan.
• Meanwhile, sprinkle a large rimmed baking sheet with sugar. Pour crystallized ginger onto prepared baking sheet and roll in sugar, separating pieces. Transfer to a sterilized jar and store in a cool place for 3 to 6 months.

HERMIT BARS WITH BROWN-SUGAR ICING AND CANDIED GINGER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 10-by-15-inch baking pan, and line the bottom with parchment paper. Butter the parchment, and set pan aside. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium speed until smooth. Add sugar; beat until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, yolk, and molasses.
• Add flour mixture; beat on low speed until combined. Add 1/2 cup candied ginger and the raisins; beat until combined.
• Spread dough into the prepared pan in an even layer, and bake until firm to the touch, 18 to 22 minutes, rotating pan halfway through. Remove from oven; let cool completely in pan before icing.
• Drizzle with icing, and then sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup candied ginger. Let stand until icing has set, about 15 minutes. Serve cut into squares.