Crystallized Ginger Spice Bars Food

CRYSTALLIZED GINGER

Steps:

• Place ginger in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add enough water to cover by 1 inch. Partially cover saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat; boil until ginger is almost cooked through but still slightly al dente, about 1 hour. Drain.
• Weigh cooked ginger and return it to saucepan with an equal amount of sugar. Add 2 tablespoons water; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring, until ginger becomes translucent, about 20 minutes.
• Reduce heat and continue cooking, stirring, until ginger is crystallized and begins to clump in the middle of the pan.
• Meanwhile, sprinkle a large rimmed baking sheet with sugar. Pour crystallized ginger onto prepared baking sheet and roll in sugar, separating pieces. Transfer to a sterilized jar and store in a cool place for 3 to 6 months.

CRYSTALLIZED-GINGER SPICE BARS

Steps:

• In a bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and ground spices. In another bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add molasses, egg, flour mixture, crystallized ginger, and zest and beat until a dough forms.
• On a sheet of wax paper pat dough into an 8-by-5 inch rectangle, about 1 inch thick. Chill dough, wrapped in wax paper, 4 hours, or until firm.
• (After the dough has been formed into a rectangle it can be kept in the refrigerator for one week or the freezer for one month. Thaw the frozen dough in the refrigerator until sliceable, about four hours. The baked cookies keep in airtight containers at room temperature for four days.)
• Preheat oven to 350° F. and lightly butter 2 baking sheets.
• Cut dough crosswise into slices about 1/6 inch thick and arrange about 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake bars in batches in middle of oven until deep golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes, and transfer to racks to cool. The baked cookies keep in airtight containers at room temperature for four days.

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.

CRYSTALLIZED GINGER AND APRICOT BARS

Steps:

• Whisk flour, crystallized ginger, ground ginger, and salt together in a bowl.
• Beat shortening and sugar together in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Add egg yolks 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat flour mixture and cold water into egg mixture until dough is well-combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Press chilled dough into a 7x11-inch baking dish. Spread apricot preserves over the top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown around the edges, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool for 1 hour before cutting into bars.

CRYSTALLIZED GINGER

Steps:

• Peel the ginger and slice it into rounds 1/8 inch thick.
• For every cup of prepared ginger you will need 3 cups of water and 3 cups of sugar.
• In a large to huge pot bring the water/sugar to a boil and stir to dissolve the sugar.
• When dissolved add the ginger and boil for 45 minutes stirring almost constantly.
• You want the ginger tender and getting that translucent look about it.
• You also don't want it at a full rolling boil-just a little less.
• Drain the ginger reserving the liquid.
• Separate and place on a rack to dry for around 30 minutes-it's gonna be a bit sticky-and then coat with sugar-I would whirl it a bit in a spice grinder to get it half powder, half granulated.
• Set it out on wax paper to dry-this took a few hours with a lot of hand slapping.
• Store in an air tight container.
• As for the remaining syrup you can boil and reduce to a syrup-something between maple syrup and honey and use on pancakes, waffles or ice cream.

CRYSTALLIZED GINGER GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Line a 9 x 4 inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
• In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, crystallized ginger, ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg).
• In another bowl, beat butter and granulated sugar until fluffy, then stir in molasses. Add eggs one at a time, beating continuously.
• Stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the yogurt/buttermilk and beginning and ending with the flour; mix until smooth.
• Pour the batter into the pan and spread until even and sprinkle with raw sugar.
• Bake 50 minutes or just until the gingerbread is golden and springy to the touch, and a toothpick comes out clean.
• Let the loaf stand for a few minutes, then turn the loaf out and carefully peel off the parchment paper. Serve warm, or later!

GINGER BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.
• Mash the brown sugar, butter, and molasses together in a bowl with a spoon until the mixture is creamy and thoroughly combined. Mix in the ginger, eggs, and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir 1/4 of flour mixture into the butter mixture at a time, incorporating each addition before adding the next. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool before cutting.

GINGER BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs; beat well. Beat in water and molasses. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and salt; add to molasses mixture and mix well. , Spread into a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Dust with confectioners' sugar if desired. Cut into bars.