Louisiana Gingerbread Stage Planks Or Mule Bellies Recipes

LOUISIANA GINGERBREAD (STAGE PLANKS OR MULE BELLIES)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a rimmed sheet pan and line it with buttered parchment paper. In a small pan, melt molasses, shortening and ginger together over low heat. Transfer to mixer and mix at medium speed until well blended and slightly cooled, about 3 minutes. Mix in sugar.
• Dissolve baking soda in a tablespoon of hot water and mix into molasses mixture. Working in alternating batches and mixing well after each addition, mix in buttermilk and flour; batter should be quite stiff, not runny. Add more flour a tablespoon at a time, if needed.
• Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake in lower third of oven 10 to 12 minutes, until risen and firm. Cool in pan on rack. Cut into rectangles or use cookie cutters to make shapes.

STAGE PLANKS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together 3 cups flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In bowl of a standing mixer, add molasses, sugar, and butter. Mix on medium-high speed until color turns lighter, about 2 minutes. On low mixer speed, alternate flour and buttermilk with butter mixture. Raise speed to medium and mix 30 seconds. Dough should be stiff enough to roll out. If not, mix in up to 1/2 cup more flour to reach proper consistency.
• On a hard floured surface, roll dough to a 10" x 16" rectangle. Slice down the middle horizontally, then vertically at 2-inch intervals to make 16 cookies. Place individual pieces at least 1 inch apart on prepared cookie sheets. Bake until tops are firm, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely in pans.

NATASHA AND ATRINA'S GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift the flour, spices and baking powder in the bowl of an electric mixer. At low speed, add the sugar, bacon drippings, syrup and cream. Blend thoroughly and continue to mix for about five minutes.
• Remove the dough from the bowl and knead on a lightly floured surface for about one minute. Divide the dough in four equal parts and wrap in waxed paper. Refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Lightly butter 4 to 6 cookie sheets and set aside.
• Roll out each section of dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of an eighth-inch. Using varied cookie cutters, cut out the cookies and remove each shape carefully with a metal spatula and place them a half-inch apart on the buttered cookie sheets. Form the remaining dough into a small ball and roll out the dough again until most of it has been used. Decorate the cookies and bake for about four to five minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for one minute. Remove the cookies with a metal spatula to a clean surface covered with wax paper and allow to cool. Repeat the process with the remaining dough.