Ginger Delight Fresh Gingerbread And Spicy Ginger Cookies Recipes

THE SPICIEST GINGERBREAD COOKIES EVER

Steps:

• Make the cookies: Whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, salt, baking soda, allspice, nutmeg, cayenne, and baking powder in a medium bowl.
• Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes (scrape down the sides of the bowl, as needed). Beat in the molasses until combined, then the egg (the mixture will look curdled). Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until the dough comes together. Divide the dough in 2 pieces, flatten each half into a disk and wrap each disk in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
• Position 2 racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Keeping one disk refrigerated, roll the other disk on a well-floured work surface to 1/4 inch thick, sprinkling flour on and under the dough as needed and sliding a spatula underneath every so often to prevent sticking (If the dough looks crackly or breaks apart, press it back together from the outside edge in). Using cookie cutters, cut out gingerbread shapes as close together as possible. Pull away the extra dough around each shape then use a small offset spatula to transfer the shapes to the prepared cookie sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart. Reroll the scraps and cut out more cookies. Freeze the cookies until firm, about 15 minutes.
• Bake the cookies, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom and from front to back halfway through cooking, until they are slightly firm to the touch but not browned at the edges, about 12 minutes. Repeat the rolling, cutting and baking with the remaining dough disk.
• Cool the cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheet then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes (The cookies will continue to firm as they cool).
• Make the icing: Combine the confectioners' sugar, meringue powder and 3 tablespoons water in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the frosting thickens, trying not to incorporate too much air. (The icing should be pure white and thick, but not fluffy and bubbly.)
• Scrape the icing into a resealable plastic bag and snip the corner to the desired size. Pipe the icing onto the cookies to decorate, as desired, sticking the candy onto the icing while it is still wet. Let the cookies stand at room temperature until the icing hardens, at least 1 hour.

GINGER DELIGHT: FRESH GINGERBREAD AND SPICY GINGER COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Grease a cake tin with 1 teaspoons of butter.
• Tap in 1 teaspoons of flour to the tin so that the tin is lightly dusted with flour.
• In a clean bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and the spices.
• Beat the egg into a large bowl.
• Add brown sugar and cream well.
• Fold in the butter, molasses and ginger.
• Pour in the coffee and vanilla essence. Mix well to combine.
• Now, add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternating with each other. Keep mixing as you gradually add these to the bread batter.
• Pour the prepared batter into the greased and floured cake tin.
• 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.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a thin, sharp knife inserted in the centre of the bread comes out clean.
• 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.
• Allow it to cool completely.
• Place the bread upside down on a plate.
• Sift the confectioner's sugar on top of the bread, slice and serve!
• Note: If you do not have buttermilk on hand, you can prepare it at home. Here's how:.
• 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.
• For the Spicy Ginger Cookies:.
• Combine the sugar, baking soda, ginger, pepper, cloves, nutmeg, allspice and cayenne in a bowl.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar mixture until it appears pale and fluffy.
• Add maple syrup or honey and the molasses and beat well.
• Fold in the flour, one cup at a time.
• If the dough is too dry, you may stir in the milk.
• Divide the dough into 4 equal parts.
• Shape into 4(9-by-1-inch) logs.
• Wrap in plastic wrap or clingfilm.
• Refrigerate for atleast 24 hours or freeze the dough for upto 2 months. Allow to thaw in the refrigerator many hours before slicing.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Use a sharp thin knife to slice the dough into 1/8 inch-thickness discs.
• Arrange discs on cookie sheets.
• Bake for 9-11 minutes, i.e., until the cookies are firm and just beginning to brown.
• Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely before serving.
• Enjoy!
• Note: The amount of pepper can be cut back on and the cayenne omitted altogether for a less spicy cookie.

CHEWY GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan over medium, melt butter until foamy, about 3 minutes. Continue cooking butter, stirring and scraping frequently with a stiff silicone spatula, until the sputtering has subsided and the butter solids look deeply browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat, then whisk in the fresh ginger and ground spices. Scrape the butter and any brown bits at the bottom into the bowl of a stand mixer (or into a large bowl if using a hand mixer). Set aside until cool, slightly solid, but still creamy, about 20 minutes in the refrigerator or 2 hours at room temperature.
• Add confectioners' sugar, molasses, vanilla, salt and baking soda to the cooled butter. Mix on low with the paddle attachment, stopping once to scrape the bowl and paddle, until creamy and combined, about 1 minute.
• Add the egg and mix on medium until pale and fluffy, stopping once to scrape the bowl and paddle, about 2 minutes. Add flour and mix until evenly combined, about 30 seconds. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days before baking.
• Prepare the sugar coating: In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and ground ginger. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper, arrange the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven, and heat oven to 375 degrees.
• Using a #40 cookie scoop or two spoons, scoop the cookie dough into 2-tablespoon portions (30 grams). Roll the portioned cookie dough into balls and coat in the ginger sugar. Arrange on the sheet tray at least 1 inch apart and bake until set and lightly browned around the edges, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.