Chocolate Chip Gingerbread With Orange Hard Sauce Food

CHOCOLATE GINGERBREADS

Steps:

• Beat 1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar and 1 stick butter until fluffy, then beat in 1 egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/4 cup molasses, 2 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger and a large pinch each of ground cinnamon and cloves with the egg. Whisk 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon baking soda; stir into the butter mixture. Do not chill. Drop by tablespoonfuls, sprinkle with coarse sugar and bake 8 to 12 minutes at 350 degrees.

GINGERBREAD WITH ORANGE SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease 9 inch square pan and set aside. Cream together butter and shortening, then add molasses, sugar and egg. Add flour, baking soda, ginger, salt and cinnamon. Mix to combine. Mix in boiling water until fully incorporated, then pour into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes. For the sauce:Whisk together all the sauce ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a low boil for 5 minutes. Serve warm pieces of cake with warm sauce and topped with whipping cream or a scoop of ice cream.

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.

CHEWY WHITE CHOCOLATE CHIP GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Beat together the butter with 1 cup of sugar in a mixing bowl until the mixture is smooth, and stir in beaten egg and molasses. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt; stir the flour mixture into the molasses mixture by half cupfuls. Stir in the white chocolate chips. Refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Scoop up a generous spoonful of dough, and roll it into a ball. Roll the ball in sugar, place onto an ungreased baking sheet, and flatten slightly. Sprinkle a little sugar onto the cookie, if desired. Repeat for the rest of the cookies.
• Bake the cookies in the preheated oven until lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for about 1 minute before removing to finish cooling on racks.

GINGERBREAD HOT CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• Stir the milk, cream, sugar, orange zest and spices together in a saucepan, then bring to a simmer over a low heat. Remove from the heat and pour through a sieve into a jug, discarding the clove and orange zest. Pour the warm infused milk back into the pan and stir in the vanilla and chocolate until the chocolate has melted and is smooth.
• Return the pan to a low heat to warm through, if needed, then pour into a heatproof mug. Top with whipped cream and crushed gingerbread biscuits, if you like, then serve.