Moira Hodgsons Gingerbread Cookies Recipes

ENGLISH GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease a 10-inch by 8-inch by 2 1/2-inch square cake tin and line it with grease-proof paper on the bottom and sides. Brush with one to two tablespoons melted margarine.
• Combine the remaining margarine in a small saucepan with the molasses and corn syrup and heat gently until melted. Remove from heat. Sift the bicarbonate of soda, plain and whole wheat flours (returning the whole wheat "flakes" left in the seive) into a large bowl.
• If using a food processor, put half the flour with the eggs, sugar, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger into the bowl fitted with the steel blade. Add the margarine-molasses mixture and process until smooth. Add the remaining flour (the bowl will be quite full) and process, adding a little milk if necessary to make a smooth mixture of dropping consistency. If working by hand, beat the eggs and add them one by one to the margarine mixture. Add to the flour with the sugar and spices and blend until smooth.
• Add the crystallized ginger and raisins to the mixture and turn it into the prepared tin. Bake in the center of the oven for one-and-a-half to two hours or until a thin skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. The gingerbread should have begun to shrink away from the sides of the tin and the center should be springy to the touch.
• Remove the gingerbread from the oven and allow it to cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Brush the top liberally with molasses and sprinkle with chopped ginger, pressing the pieces into the surface. Allow to cool and remove from the baking tin. At this point the gingerbread can be cut into four loaves and stored separately in airtight cake tins. It keeps for several weeks in a cake tin but it may also be frozen.

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.

MOIRA HODGSON'S GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Mix together the ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda and salt and set aside.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in the molasses and sugar. Beat in the spice mixture completely, then the water, then the egg.
• Place the flour in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Pour the butter mixture into the well. Stir about a quarter of the flour, the part closest to the center, into the molasses-butter mixture. Stir in half the remaining flour, then the rest. When all the flour has been incorporated, turn the dough out onto a board and knead until just smooth. Roll the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic and refrigerate overnight or up to two weeks.
• When you are ready to bake your cookies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease the baking sheets. Roll out some of the dough an eighth of an inch thick, keeping the rest well wrapped in plastic. Cut into shapes with a five-inch cookie cutter. Bake the cookies on their sheets for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven, gently lift off the cookies with a spatula and cool them on a rack. Make the rest of the cookies the same way. Decorate the cooled gingerbread or leave plain.

GINGERBREAD MEN, SILESIAN-STYLE

Steps:

• Combine the honey, sugar and butter and heat while stirring constantly until you have a smooth, well-blended mixture. Allow to cool.
• Put four cups of the flour and the baking powder in a mixing bowl. Split a dozen of the nicest almonds and set aside; mince the rest. Add the minced almonds and candied lemon peel to the flour along with the spices; mix well. Add the egg and stir in vigorously, then work in the cooled honey mixture. Gradually add more flour to the dough, using only enough to produce a dough that no longer adheres to the side of the mixing bowl.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a baking sheet with butter. Roll out the dough about three-quarters of an inch thick on a surface that has been sprinkled with flour; cut out the gingerbread men with the help of a cardboard stencil or a cookie cutter. Place the cookies on the baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes.
• In the meantime, mix the confectioners sugar with the lemon juice and hot water; brush the gingerbread men with this sugar glaze when they emerge from the oven and attach the almond halves using the glaze as an adhesive.

GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Beat margarine and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until mostly incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, another 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in egg yolk, then molasses.
• Whisk sifted flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg in a separate bowl until well combined. Gradually add flour mixture to the molasses mixture, beating until well blended and smooth.
• Divide dough in half and form each into a 1-inch-thick disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 to 3 hours, or overnight.
• When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Working with one disk at a time, and leaving remaining disk in the refrigerator, unwrap chilled dough and place on a lightly floured surface. Working from the center to the edges, roll dough with a floured rolling pin to a thickness of 1/4 inch.
• Cut dough into desired shapes with cookie cutters, dipping the cutters into flour as needed so they don't stick to the dough. Fit the cookie cutters as closely together as possible to cut as many cookies as you can. This will minimize the number of times you have to re-roll the dough.
• Transfer gingerbread cookies to ungreased cookie sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Gather any dough scraps into a ball, flatten, re-wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate to use for later batches.
• Bake each sheet in the preheated oven until firm, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool while you finish rolling, cutting, and baking the remaining cookies.
• Frost or decorate cooled gingerbread cookies as desired.

MOIRA HODGSON'S SORREL SOUP

Steps:

• In a large, heavy saucepan, melt the butter and soften the shallots. Add the potatoes, water and chicken stock and season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer gently until the potatoes are soft.
• Meanwhile, wash the sorrel, discard the stems and chop the leaves coarsely. When the potatoes are cooked, add the sorrel to the saucepan and cook, stirring, until the sorrel has wilted. Bring to a boil, turn heat down and simmer gently for five minutes.
• Remove the soup from the heat and puree it in batches in a food processor. Allow it to cool.
• Stir in the buttermilk and chill the soup overnight in the refrigerator. When ready to serve the soup, swirl in the cream and correct the seasoning. Garnish with chopped sorrel leaves sprinkled on top.

MOIRA HODGSON'S CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Steps:

• Heat the cream until small bubbles form around the edge.
• Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in the upper container of a double boiler set over very hot water. Whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time, then whisk in the butter.
• Gradually add the hot cream, whisking constantly. Turn up the heat so that the water in the bottom of the double boiler starts to simmer gently. Cook for four minutes, whisking constantly (the yolks are cooked at 160 degrees on a candy thermometer).
• Remove the chocolate mixture from the heat and add the vanilla extract. Cool, stirring constantly for about five minutes.
• Beat the egg whites until they stand up in glossy peaks. With a large rubber spatula, stir one-third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, then gradually fold in the rest.
• Scrape the mousse into a large bowl or individual dishes. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until firm (about two hours for individual bowls and about five hours for a large mousse).

MOIRA HODGSON'S SHRIMP RISOTTO

Steps:

• Shell the shrimp and reserve the shells. Place the shells in a large saucepan. Cut an inch off the end of the onion and add it to the saucepan with the carrot, celery, parsley and herb bouquet. Add the water and bring to a boil. Turn down and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Strain and discard the shells and vegetables. Return the stock to the saucepan.
• Meanwhile put the saffron in a coffee cup and soften in warm water to cover for about 30 minutes. Chop the rest of the onion fine. Using a large skillet, soften the garlic and the onion in the butter. Bring the stock to a slow simmer.
• Add the rice to the skillet and cook, stirring, until the grains are coated with the butter. Add a cup of the hot stock and cook, stirring frequently, until the rice has absorbed the liquid. Add the saffron, tomatoes and thyme. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Add the stock, half a cup at a time, when the rice has absorbed the liquid. Stir continuously. Add the wine and cook, stirring continuously. Continue adding hot stock half a cup at a time and stirring until the rice is creamy and tender but al dente. Add the shrimp and cook for about five minutes, stirring until they are done. Correct seasoning and serve.

MOIRA HODGSON'S FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels. Place flour (about 1 cup) in brown bag. Lightly dredge chicken pieces with flour, shaking off excess.
• Heat oil and butter in 12-inch cast-iron or heavy skillet (or use 2 smaller skillets). You should have 1/2 to 3/4 inch of fat. Add chicken pieces without crowding and fry over high heat for 5 minutes. Turn and fry 3 minutes more.
• Cover, turn down heat and cook for 30 minutes.
• Remove lid, turn up heat to crisp chicken, about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve.

MOIRA HODGSON'S VITELLO TONNATO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Make tiny incisions in the side of the veal and insert cloves of garlic inside. Season the veal with salt and pepper.
• Place the veal in a casserole with the carrots, onion, white wine, thyme and oregano. Cover and cook for two hours, turning frequently. Remove the lid and cook for another 30 minutes, turning from time to time so that the outside browns slightly. Test to make sure that the veal is cooked. Allow it to cool in its juices.
• Place the tuna and the anchovies in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Gradually add the olive oil with the motor on until you have a thick sauce. Add the juice of two lemons to thin it out and process until smooth. (If it is too thin, you can add more oil.) Season to taste with salt and pepper. The sauce should have the consistency of a thin mayonnaise.
• Cut the veal in thin slices. Arrange them in one layer (or slightly overlapping) on a large serving platter and pour the sauce over. (You will probably need two dishes.) Cover with clear plastic wrap and let marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
• If using salt capers, soak them in cold water for 20 minutes, and rinse them very well until you have removed as much of the salt as possible. If using capers packed in vinegar, drain and rinse them. Sprinkle the capers over the veal. Slice the remaining lemon and cut the slices in half. Arrange them attractively around the edges of the serving dish. Sprinkle the dish with tarragon leaves and serve.

MOIRA HODGSON'S PIPERADE

Steps:

• In a heavy skillet soften the onions in the oil. Meanwhile, char the peppers and tomatoes over a gas flame and peel off their skins. Chop and add to the onions with salt and pepper. Stir, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile beat the eggs seasoned with salt and pepper. Add to the vegetables and scramble until just set.

GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Mix together the ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in the molasses and sugar. Beat in the spice mixture and blend completely. Blend in the water, then the egg.
• Place the flour in a large bowl and make a large well in the center. Pour the butter mixture into the well. Stir about one quarter of the flour, the part closest to the center, into the butter mixture. Gradually stir in the rest of the remaining flour. When all the flour has been incorporated, turn the dough out onto a board and knead just until smooth. Roll the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate overnight, or up to two weeks.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two baking sheets.
• Roll out some of the dough until it is 1/8-inch thick, keeping the rest well wrapped in plastic. Cut into men, candy canes, trees or other shapes with a 5-inch cookie cutter. Continue rolling and cutting the rest of the dough.
• Bake the cookies on the sheets for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven, gently lift off the cookies with a spatula and cool them on a rack.