Ginger adds sweet snap to traditional holiday cookies

Today's first recipe for gingerbread men was submitted by Gloria Wiebe of Poplarfield for Roxanna Fenning.

Lorraine Best of Beausejour supplied a gingersnap cookie recipe in response to requests by Roxanna Fenning and Gerri Walker.

Thanks to the many Swappers who shared their favourite gingersnap and gingerbread recipes: Susan Gurney, Anne Peters of Steinbach, Barb Gyselinck, Emily Lucko, Laura Fredette of Plumas, Therese Dumesnil, L. Snider of Glenboro, Helen Pitura, Sandra Hickey, Berenice Keryluk, Brenda Mazor of St. Andrews, Edna Mroz of Beausejour, Shirley Rasmussen of Starbuck, G. Bauch of Moosehorn, E. Freeman, Bev Sawchuk of Manitou, Margaret Ryall and Vicky Low.

Now on to recent requests:

Charles Day would appreciate a recipe for homemade ice cream that does not require an ice cream maker.

Vera Anderson requests a recipe for diabetic lemon cake.

Lastly, Brenda Conklin is on the hunt for a lobster roll appetizer recipe. The filling is a combination of cheese, lobster, black beans and corn, wrapped in a tortilla, then deep-fried and served with various sauces.

To respond to one of this week's Recipe Swap requests or send in a request, please write to Recipe Swap, c/o Ilana Simon, Winnipeg Free Press, 1355 Mountain Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R2X 3B6, send a fax to 697-7412 or e-mail to ilana.simon@freepress.mb.ca. Please include name, address and daytime telephone number in case any ingredients or directions must be checked.

Gingersnaps

180 ml (3/4 cup) butter or margarine
250 ml (1 cup) sugar
60 ml (1/4 cup) molasses
1 egg, beaten
500 ml (2 cups) flour
10 ml (2 tsp) baking soda
1 ml (1/4 tsp) salt
5 ml (1 tsp) cinnamon
5 ml (1 tsp) ground cloves
5 ml (1 tsp) ground ginger

Cream together butter and sugar. Add molasses and egg. Beat well.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and ginger. Add to wet ingredients. Mix well.

Roll dough into small balls and dip in granulated or berry sugar.

Press each ball lightly with a floured fork. Bake in 190 C (375 F) oven for 10 to 12 minutes.

Taste-tester notes: The tasty cookies do spread considerably so be sure to fashion small balls and leave space between each cookie. Check after 10 minutes. If desired, add an additional 2 ml (1/2 tsp) dried ginger for a more pronounced ginger flavour.

Gingerbread Men

125 ml (1/2 cup) shortening
125 ml (1/2 cup) sugar
125 ml (1/2 cup) light molasses
1 egg, beaten
560 ml (2 1/4 cups) flour
5 ml (1 tsp) baking powder
2 ml (1/2 tsp) baking soda
2 ml (1/2 tsp) salt
7 ml (1 1/2 tsp) cinnamon
5 ml (1 tsp) ground ginger
5 ml (1 tsp) ground cloves
Icing:
375 ml (1 1/2 cups) icing sugar
0.5 ml (1/8 tsp) cream of tartar
1 egg white

Gingerbread: Cream together shortening and sugar. Add molasses and egg and mix well.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Beat until well mixed.

Shape dough into a ball. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour or until dough is firm enough to handle.

Roll out on lightly floured surface to 0.5-cm (1/4-inch) thickness. Cut out gingerbread men.

Place on ungreased cookie sheet, 1 cm (1/2 inch) apart. Bake in 180 C (350 F) oven for 8-10 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool. Decorate cookies when they have cooled.

Yield: About 2 dozen gingerbread men.

Icing: Beat icing sugar, cream of tartar and egg white in a small bowl with mixer until blended. Increase speed to high; beat mixture until so stiff that a knife drawn through it leaves a clean-cut path. Keep bowl covered with plastic wrap to prevent drying out.

Note: This icing dries hard. Makes enough for 2 batches (4 dozen) of gingerbread men.

Taste-tester notes: The icing works well and you can halve the recipe (use 180 ml or 3/4 cup icing sugar, approximate half an egg white and a pinch of cream of tartar). If desired, add food colouring to the icing.

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition December 29, 2004 $sourceSection$sourcePage