Exotic Spice Cookies With Ginger Cardamom And Rose Water Food

EXOTIC SPICE COOKIES WITH GINGER, CARDAMOM AND ROSE WATER

Steps:

• Whisk the flour, ground ginger, baking soda, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, pepper and salt in a medium bowl until blended.
• Mix in the crystallized ginger and set aside momentarily.
• In a large bowl beat the brown sugar, butter and shortening with an electric mixer until fluffy (do not overbeat-it will add too much air).
• Add the egg, honey and rosewater and beat until blended.
• Stir in the flour mixture with a wooden spoon, mixing until just until blended.
• Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Lightly spray 2 cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray.
• Spoon the turbinado sugar in thick layer onto small plate.
• Using wet hands, form dough into 1 1/4-inch balls; roll in sugar to coat completely.
• Place balls on prepared sheets, spacing 2 to 3 inches apart.
• Bake cookies until cracked on top but still soft to touch, about 11 to 13 minutes.
• Cool on sheets 1 minute.
• Carefully transfer cookies to wire racks; cool completely.

SPICED CARDAMOM COOKIES

Steps:

• Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, cardamom, allspice, pepper, and cloves in a large bowl. Place butter in a mixer bowl. Bring sugars, corn syrup, and water to a boil in a large saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Pour hot sugar mixture over butter, then beat on low speed until combined.
• Beat cream, egg, and vanilla in a bowl, then add to butter mixture. Beat on medium speed until well combined.
• Reduce speed to low, and add flour mixture, beating until just incorporated. Divide dough into thirds, and flatten each into a disk. Wrap each disk in plastic, and refrigerate overnight (or freeze for up to 1 month; thaw in the refrigerator).
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out 1 disk between lightly floured parchment to 1/8-inch thickness. Alternatively, the dough can be rolled out to 1/16-inch thickness for a crisper cookie. Place a lightly floured plastic faux-bois mat on dough, pattern side down. With rolling pin, lightly roll over mat to imprint dough. Carefully remove mat. Transfer dough on parchment to a baking sheet, and refrigerate until firm, about 10 minutes. Repeat with remaining disks.
• Cut out shapes with holiday cookie cutters. (Alternatively, use tree template: Copy onto card stock, enlarging 200 percent. Cut out, place over dough, and cut along edge with the tip of a paring knife.) Transfer cookies to parchment-lined baking sheets, grouping similar sizes together and spacing them 1 inch apart. Roll out and cut scraps once. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges are golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. (If making small cookies, start checking after 8 minutes.) Transfer to wire racks, and let cool.