Candied Ginger Cardamom Bars Food

GINGER AND ALMOND BARS

Steps:

• Center a rack in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line the pan with baking parchment, letting the parchment hang over the sides. (This will make it easier to remove the dessert once baked.)
• Prepare the base:
• In the saucepan, melt the butter. Add the almond meal, fresh ginger, honey, egg, salt, and vanilla. Stir until well combined. The mixture should be thick and sticky.
• Turn the mixture out into the prepared pan. To help make a level and even base, place a piece of plastic wrap on top of the base. Using a flat-bottomed glass (or your fingers), smooth out the base by pressing gently to evenly cover the bottom of the pan. Remove and discard the plastic wrap. Bake until the base is slightly firm, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the topping:
• In the same saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the almonds, candied ginger, honey, salt, and vanilla. Stir just until the ingredients are incorporated.
• When the base is baked, spread the topping evenly over the base and bake until the topping is dark and sizzling, 12 to 15 minutes. Do not underbake.
• Transfer the pan to the baking rack to cool. When the dessert is completely cool, remove it from the pan using the overhanging parchment as handles and cut it into 16 even squares.
• Do Ahead
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
• Variation:
• Chestnut Honey Squares: For the base, replace 1 cup (90g) almond meal with 3/4 cup (120 g) unbleached, all-purpose flour and use a strong honey, such as chestnut, in place of the mild honey. For the topping, replace the candied ginger with organic candied orange or lemon peel, cut into tiny cubes.

CANDIED GINGER - CARDAMOM BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 deg F.
• Grease a 9 inch square baking pan.
• Ok here is the hardest part -- finely chop crystallized ginger and set aside.
• In a food processor add flour, sugar, cardamom, cinnamon, and salt. Pulse to combine.
• Cut butter into half in cubes.
• Add butter to processor and mix into a coarse meal forms.
• Beat egg and add 2 tablespoons to processor and mix until a moist crumbs form.
• Add ginger and blend until moist clumps form.
• Press dough into pan.
• Brush the rest of the egg over the top.
• Bake 40 minutes.
• Transfer to rack and let cool completely in pan.
• Cut into 18 pieces.

GINGER CREAM BARS

Steps:

• Cream the sugar and margarine. Sift together the flour, salt soda and spices. Add to creamed mixture. Add eggs, molasses and finally coffee.
• Spread batter in a 15x10x1 pan, and bake at 350* for 20-25 minutes.
• Cool completely.
• For frosting, cream the margarine and cream cheese. Add sugar to desired consistency. Add vanilla and mix till creamy.
• Spread frosting over bars.
• Top with chopped nuts if desired.

CANDIED GINGER

Steps:

• Spray a cooling rack with nonstick spray and set it in a half sheet pan lined with parchment.
• Peel the ginger root and slice into 1/8-inch thick slices using a mandoline. Place into a 4-quart saucepan with the water and set over medium-high heat. Cover and cook for 35 minutes or until the ginger is tender.
• Transfer the ginger to a colander to drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Weigh the ginger and measure out an equal amount of sugar. Return the ginger and 1/4 cup water to the pan and add the sugar. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar syrup looks dry, has almost evaporated and begins to recrystallize, approximately 20 minutes. Transfer the ginger immediately to the cooling rack and spread to separate the individual pieces. Once completely cool, store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Save the sugar that drops beneath the cooling rack and use to top ginger snaps, sprinkled over ice cream or to sweeten coffee.

CANDIED GINGER-CARDAMOM BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 9-inch square baking pan with nonstick spray. Blend flour, sugar, cardamom, cinnamon, and salt in processor. Add butter; using on/off turns, process until coarse meal forms. Add 2 tablespoons beaten egg; blend until moist crumbs form. Add ginger. Using on/off turns, process until moist clumps form. Press dough evenly over bottom of prepared pan. Brush remaining beaten egg over dough. Using small sharp knife, score top of dough with diagonal lines spaced 1 inch apart. Repeat in opposite direction, forming lattice pattern.
• Bake until pastry is golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool completely in pan. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)
• Cut pastry square into 3 long rectangles. Cut each rectangle crosswise into 8 rectangular bars, making 24 bars total.