Cousin Ednas Glorified Gingerbread Food

GLORIFIED GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 8 or 9-inch square baking dish.
• Using an electric mixer, beat the shortening and sugar on high speed until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
• Add flour, salt, ginger, cinnamon, clove and nutmeg and mix on low just until incorporated. Reserve 1/2 cup of this mixture in a small bowl.
• Add egg, molasses, buttermilk, and baking soda to the mixing bowl and beat on medium-low speed just until smooth - about 30 seconds.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the reserved flour and spice mixture evenly over the top.
• Bake for 35-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack, slice into squares and serve.

GLORIFIED GINGERBREAD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• In a medium size bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, ginger and cinnamon. Cut in the butter and mix into the dry ingredients to make fine crumbs. Take out 1/2 cup crumbs and set them aside so you can sprinkle them on top of the cake batter.
• To the remaining crumbs, add the egg, molasses, salt, baking soda and buttermilk. Mix until the ingredients are well blended and the batter is smooth.
• Pour the batter into a parchment paper lined 8x8 pan.
• Sprinkle the remaining crumbs on top of the batter.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the cake comes out clean.

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.

CHRISTINA'S GINGERBREAD DOUGH

Steps:

• Combine the flour, ginger, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
• In a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the shortening, powdered sugar, dark brown sugar, and molasses. Mix on low speed, just until smooth, trying not to incorporate too much air.
• Add the flour mixture all at once, and mix on low to medium-low speed. As this begins to mix, add the 1/4 cup of cooled coffee. Watch closely as the dough begins to come together. If it looks and feels dry and crumbly, begin to add the remaining coffee, 1 tablespoon at a time as needed. The dough should be firm, but evenly moist.
• Alternatively, this dough can be mixed by hand. If you choose to do this, add the flour mixture in 3 or 4 batches, instead of all at once, to the sugar and shortening mixture. Add the coffee, a little at a time, along with the flour.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and shape into 2 flattened rectangles. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then place into an air-tight container or zip-top plastic bag. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours before rolling and cutting. The dough keeps for 4 days, refrigerated.
• If dough has been chilled for longer than 1 to 2 hours, allow it to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before rolling.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment or foil, or very lightly grease.
• Working with 1 piece of the chilled dough at a time, roll out on a lightly floured surface to 3/8-inch thick (small, decorative pieces may be rolled thinner; pieces that will need to provide support may be rolled thicker). Transfer to prepared baking sheets, then cut to desired shapes using templates that have been lightly floured. Cut out desired shapes (use templates and lightly flour them before placing on the dough and cutting). If cutting windows, doors, etc., start by cutting them first, then cut the overall shape. This prevents distortion of the pieces. Keep similar sized pieces on each sheet for even baking. If you have the refrigerator space, a brief chilling at this point (15 minutes) will help the dough hold its shape in the oven, but this step is optional.
• Lightly brush or spray the surface with water and bake 15 minutes for medium to large pieces (7 to 10 minutes for smaller pieces). Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. With a sharp knife, carefully re-cut the hot gingerbread (using your templates) if any spreading occurred. Remove all scraps from the tray.
• Return the baking sheet to the oven. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes more, even longer for very large or thick pieces, until dark brown, but not burned. You must bake gingerbread for houses much longer than you would bake cookies. It must be very dry throughout, and quite dark in color. The low oven temperature helps to keep the browning even, as opposed to dark around the edges. As oven temperatures will vary, check the pieces during the second baking frequently. If they are browning too quickly, lower the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Loosen the pieces from the tray with a thin spatula and continue to cool on the tray until firm. Remove the pieces from the tray and allow them to cool on a wire rack for several hours before assembling your house.

DARK MOLASSES GINGERBREAD WITH WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour an 8-by-8-by-2-inch baking pan. Sift flour, baking soda and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. Blend in spices and salt with a wire whisk.
• In a small pan, bring 1 cup water to a boil. Melt 1/2 cup butter in it, then whisk water into flour mixture. Beat eggs and add to mixture, along with molasses. Whisk until well blended. Pour into pan.
• Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until a skewer plunged into center comes out with no trace of raw batter. Interior will be moist. Serve warm with freshly whipped cream.

EDNA'S GINGER COOKIES

Steps:

• Melt butter and mix with oil.
• Add sugar and egg.
• Beat well.
• Separately, mix flour, baking soda and spices.
• Add flour mixture to butter mixture.
• Once incorporated, add molasses.
• Chill.
• Roll into balls (small walnut size).
• Roll balls in granulated sugar.
• Bake at 350 10- 12 minutes.
• Use foil on cookie sheet.

COUSIN EDNA'S GLORIFIED GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 9x9-inch square pan. In large mixing bowl, mix flour, sugar, shortening, ginger, and cinnamon until crumbs form. Set aside 1/2 cup of this mixture.
• Make a hole in remaining crumb mixture and add egg, molasses, milk, soda, and salt. Mix until well blended. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture over top, smoothing with a spoon.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm with fresh whipped cream or ice cream.