Buttermilk Gingerbread Food

OLD-FASHIONED GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 by 8-inch cake pan and line with parchment paper. Grease and flour the pan.
• Place the rum and raisins in a small pan, cover and heat until the rum boils. Turn off the heat and set aside. Place the butter and molasses in another small pan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Pour the mixture into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cool for 5 minutes, then mix in the sour cream and orange zest.
• Meanwhile, sift the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt together in a small bowl. Mix with your hands until combined. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the molasses mixture and mix only until smooth. Drain the raisins and add them and crystallized ginger to the mixture with a spatula. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Set aside to cool completely.
• When the cake has cooled, whisk together the confectioners' sugar and orange juice and pour it onto the gingerbread, allowing it to drip down the sides. Allow the glaze to set. Cut the gingerbread into 9 squares.

FAVORITE OLD FASHIONED GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9-inch square pan.
• In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the egg, and mix in the molasses.
• In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Blend into the creamed mixture. Stir in the hot water. Pour into the prepared pan.
• Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan before serving.

LIGHTER GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• Put the dates in a small bowl and pour over 125ml of boiling water. Leave to cool for 30 mins. Lightly oil a 28 x 19 x 3cm traybake tin, then line the base with baking parchment.
• Meanwhile, put the oil, black treacle, maple syrup and freshly grated ginger in a bowl and beat together with a fork to mix well. Set aside. Beat the egg in a small bowl and stir in the buttermilk. In a large bowl, mix the flour with the bicarbonate of soda, ground ginger, cinnamon and sugar - rub the mixture between your fingers to break down any lumpy bits of sugar. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3.
• Blend the dates and their liquid to a thick purée in a small food processor. Pour the egg, the dates and the treacle mixture into the bowl with the flour. Stir together briefly with a wooden spoon just until well mixed - the mixture will be soft like a thick batter. Pour it into the lined tin, gently level the mixture and bake for 40-45 mins. To test if it's done, insert a skewer in the centre - if the skewer comes out clean with no uncooked mixture on it, and the cake feels firm but springy to the touch, it should be done.
• Leave in the tin for a few mins before removing to a wire rack, peeling off the parchment and leaving to cool completely. If you can wait, wrap it well in parchment, then foil. Leave for a day before cutting, as it will become stickier - it will keep moist for 3-4 days.

BUTTERMILK GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• Combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl.
• Cream butter and sugar together. Stir in egg.
• Add molasses and buttermilk and mix until well combined.
• Add dry ingredients to the molasses mixture and stir until just smooth.
• Bake in a greased 8x8 pan for 25 minutes at 325°F Bread is done when tester comes out clean or with a little bit of crumb.

GINGERBREAD BUTTERMILK WAFFLES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first 7 ingredients. In a small bowl, beat the brown sugar and egg yolk until fluffy; add the buttermilk, molasses and butter. Stir into dry ingredients just until combined. , In another small bowl, beat the egg white and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into batter. Quickly spoon onto a preheated waffle maker. Bake according to manufacturer's directions until golden brown. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar if desired. Freeze option: Cool waffles on wire racks. Freeze between layers of waxed paper in a resealable freezer container. To use, reheat waffles in a toaster on medium setting. Or, microwave each waffle on high for 30-60 seconds or until heated through.

MOLASSES-AND-BUTTERMILK GINGERBREAD SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray 8x8x2-inch metal baking pan with nonstick vegetable oil spray. Sift all purpose flour, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, baking soda and ground nutmeg into medium bowl. Combine molasses, 1/2 cup sugar, melted butter, buttermilk and large egg in large bowl; whisk to blend. Whisk in dry ingredients. Pour batter into prepared baking pan.
• Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool cake completely in pan on rack. Sift powdered sugar over cake. Cut cake into 16 squares.

GLORIFIED GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Mix sugar, shortening, flour, spices, and salt as for pie crust. Divide dough in half and set aside.
• Add remaining ingredients to half of the dough. Place in a greased 9 inch square pan. Sprinkle the other half of the dough over mixture. Bake for 30 minutes. Cool in pan and then cut into bars.

BLUEBERRY GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• With mixer, beat together oil, 1 C sugar, salt and molasses.
• Beat in egg.
• Combine flour, spices and baking soda, dredge blueberries with 2 Tbsp of mixture.
• Add remaining flour mixture to first mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating after each addition.
• Stir in blueberries.
• Pour into a greased and floured 12 x 7 baking dish.
• Sprinkle top with remaining 2 Tbsp sugar.
• Bake for 35- 40 minutes.
• Cut into squares and serve warm with butter.
• May be served with whipped cream for dessert.

GINGER BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°. In a large bowl, whisk the first seven ingredients. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in crystallized ginger. Add buttermilk; stir just until moistened., Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead gently 8-10 times. Pat or roll dough to 1/2-in. thickness; cut with a floured 2-in. biscuit cutter. Place 1 in. apart on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Brush tops with butter. If desired, sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake 7-8 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown. Serve warm.