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| This kid-friendly gingerbread dough lends itself nicely to making logs, or "lego-like" pieces for non-traditional constructions including this lean-to for gnomes held together with regular buttercream icing. |
What's not to like about building Gingerbread Houses? Not much.
This recipe for gingerbread dough dates back to 1899, but its heritage goes back even farther -- to the 1820s and 1830s Back then -- just a few years after the British invasion during the War of 1812 -- it was the custom for New England community to gather for a Training Day. Men engaged in military maneuvers on the town square while their wives and daughters prepared treats for the end of the day. This gingerbread recipe dates back to those days.
It is easily made and holds up well as the walls and roof of a gingerbread house. It has a mild taste and is also a perfect foil for mild cheese on the holiday appetizer tray. It keeps very well for make-ahead convenience. And is just darn tasty to have in your pocket for a snack.
Training Day Gingerbread
INGREDIENTS:
NOTE: Recipe does not contain any eggs. Also the amount of flour will vary depending on humidity. SO you might need as much as a quarter of a cup more. But do try to limit the amount you add. You are seeking a soft dough to make a crispy cracker-like treat. It is not very sweet, but is just right for dunking in coffee, tea, or milk. Or as an unusual base for cheese, or peanut butter.
Makes enough for one gingerbread house about 5 inches by 3 inches and 5 inches high.
1 cup all-purpose flour with extra possible both for dough consistency and for rolling
1/4 cup mild molasses
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons boiling water
2 tablespoons soft butter
1/4 teaspoon white vinegar
To assemble into houses
Either melted white chocolate, buttercream frosting, or fondant
METHOD:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Lightly grease baking sheet
In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour, baking soda, and ginger, mixing with a fork. Measure the molasses into a heatproof glass measuring cup. Add the butter and boiling water. Stir until the butter is melted. Add the vinegar, mix, and then stir into the flour mixture.
This dough should be soft and not sticky. If necessary, add more flour a tablespoon at a time, perhaps as much as a quarter of a cup.
Lightly flour your work surface and roll the dough into a rectangle about the size of an 8 1/2 by 11-inch piece of paper. Very lightly dust dough with flour so the surface is not sticky. Place your house pattern pieces, cut, and then--perhaps using a spatula-- carefully place on baking sheet. Or you can use your imagination and make logs, flat boards, or even "lego-like" bricks.
Bake until firm, about 10 to 20 minutes, depending on size.
To make the traditional squares: Cut the dough into 1-inch strips. Lightly press the tines of a fork into the strips to create raised ridges. Then cut into 1 1/2-inch rectangles. Place on prepared baking sheets and bake until firm, about 8 to 10 minutes.
FOR MORE MOLASSES FLAVOR: Mix 1 tablespoon molasses with a teaspoon of hot water and use a pastry brush paint over the surface of the gingerbread before baking.
TO ASSEMBLE INTO HOUSES:
Pick your glue. I prefer to use melted white chocolate in a piping tube. It sets up very fast. Makes it easier for impatient children. If you are going to embellish the house, put the decorations on the sides before assembling. Houses made with this recipe last about 2 weeks before beginning to be more fragile and ready to eat.
Sugar Plums
The Sugar Plum Fairy from the joyous Nutcracker ballet came waltzing into my kitchen a decade ago. Well, not the dancer, but the sugar plum itself.
Like the ballet, sugar plums begin centuries ago. The ballet is based on an 1812 story. Sugar Plums go back even farther. Beginning, most people think, as a simple sugared dried date or fig.
From E.T.A.Hoffman's story The Nutcracker and the Mouse King. Tchaikovsky debuted the ballet in 1892. As today's popular ballet preformed all around the holidays is more complex than the original story, the sugar plum treat I devised is a bit more sophisticated than the simple fruit.
But it does begin with dried dates
INGREDIENTS:
8 ounces dates, chopped
4 ounces candied citron
5 ounces currants
1/2 cup brandy OR orange juice
1/2 cup soft butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3 cups flour
For topping
1/4 cup finely ground or chopped almonds
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Optional, sherry for dousing baked Sugar Plums
METHOD:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Lightly greased baking sheets.
Combine the chopped dates, citron, currants, and brandy in a microwaveable bowl. Cover and microwave at half power for 5 minutes, stirring at the halfway point. Continue cooking, if necessary, until the dates break down and can be stirred into a paste. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar, and eggs. Stir until well blended.
Stir in the date mixture along with the spices. Blend in the flour.
Combine the topping mixture of almonds and sugar and set aside.
FORM THE SUGAR PLUMS
Take about 2 tablespoons of dough in your hand and shape it into a sort of pyramid. Gently roll the sides of the pyramid in the almond sugar mixture and set it firmly on its bottom on the baking sheet. Continue until all the dough is used.
BAKE until the sugar plums are firm, about 20 minutes. Cool on wire rack.
FINISHING
You may douse the sugar plums with sherry brushed over the still warm treat. You may frost them with butter cream, dip in fondant, or drizzle with white chocolate. And then decorate with any sprinkles, or cut up maraschino cherries or dried cranberries.
Apples on Hand
Faced with an abundance of apples from my friend Max's small orchard, I did the usual gathering of recipes to "put the bounty by" for winter's enjoyment. I have applesauce in the freezer, apple jelly and apple butter in jars on the cupboard shelves.
But I still had apples heaped up on my counter.
And I wanted to find both a quick way to store the apples and a quick way to use them through the winter.
I developed my versatile Quick Cook Apples-- It is a relish, a pie filling, an ingredient to combine with vegetables, or chili. put warm over ice cream, and dozens more uses. AND scores of apples can be packaged during the Saturday or Sunday football game. As I think about it, and have used it through the past five years, it is just about perfect.
INGREDIENTS:
For each 6 to 10 apples or so, depending on size
1 tablespoon corn starch
2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup sugar, depending on sweetness of apples
1 teaspoon vanilla
METHOD:
Peel the apples and chop into pieces about 1/2 inch, discarding core
Measure 8 cups of chopped apples by pressing gently into measuring cup
Combine with cornstarch, sugar, and vanilla.
Mix well and set aside for a few minutes until the apples begin to give up their juice
Stir and package
PACKAGING
I prefer to divide the apples into 10 plastic sandwich bags and then put those bags into quart freezer bags.
USING THE APPLE FILLING
Thaw and cook the apples by microwaving for 3 to 5 minutes on high, or if you have a high-powered microwave at 70% power. Stir every minute or so.
AS A RELISH -- serve as is, or stir i 1/4 teaspoon vinegar for a bit more snap
AS A PIE FILLING -- each package will fill a small tart. For a small 6-inch pie, use 4 or 5 packages.
Thaw and cook and then uses are you would your regular pie filling
AS AN INGREDIENT -- Combine with diced, cooked sweet potatoes. Add to simmering chili. Toss with Brussels sprouts. Add to chicken broth for a health Chicken and Apple Soup.
