Fresh Gingerbread Squares Food

GINGERBREAD BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C. Line a 9×9-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on the sides for lifting the bars out of the pan after baking.
• In a medium bowl, sift together flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
• In a mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed for 3-4 minutes, until fluffy. Add molasses, egg, and vanilla, and beat until combined. Add flour mixture and mix just until combined.
• Spread dough evenly into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until the top is slightly firm to touch, and a toothpick inserted into centre comes out with a few moist crumbs, not clean. Overbaking will make the bars dry. Allow to cool completely in pan.
• To make the glaze: In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk, and vanilla extract, and whisk until smooth. Add more milk as necessary until you get a thick yet pourable consistency. Drizzle over the bars using a spoon or a piping bag. Allow glaze to set, 15-30 minutes. For easy cutting, you can place it in the fridge for 2 hours until firm. Lift out of the pan and cut into squares. Serve at room temperature.
• Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.

CHOCOLATE GINGERBREAD SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, line the bottom with parchment paper and butter the parchment. Dust with flour and tap out any excess. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, gingerbread spice and salt in a medium bowl. Beat 1 stick butter and the brown sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on low speed until incorporated, then increase the speed to medium and beat until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the whole egg and egg yolks and beat 1 minute. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the water. Beat until just smooth, being careful not to overbeat (the batter may look curdled).
• Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Bake until the cake springs back when pressed, 25 to 35 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a rack, remove the parchment and let cool completely.
• Beat the remaining 4 tablespoons butter and the ginger jam in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale, about 1 minute. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Carefully cut the cake in half crosswise with a serrated knife and spread one half with the ginger filling. Top with the other cake layer and cut lengthwise, then crosswise into 6 equal rows, making small cubes. Freeze the cubes until firm, about 1 hour.
• Melt the chocolate and shortening in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water), about 5 minutes. Remove the bowl from the pan. Hold each cake square over the bowl on a fork and spoon chocolate over the top until evenly covered. Let the excess drip off, then transfer to a rack set on a baking sheet. Top with crystallized ginger. Let set, about 2 hours at room temperature or 30 minutes in the refrigerator; before completely set, loosen with a spatula.

FRESH GINGERBREAD SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Whisk together flours, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together buttermilk, molasses, oil, beer, granulated sugar, ginger, and egg in a medium bowl; add to flour mixture, whisking just until blended.
• Pour batter into an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 45 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Sprinkle gingerbread with powdered sugar; cut into 12 squares.

FRESH GINGERBREAD WITH LEMON ICING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F.
• In a saucepan, melt the butter along with the sugar, syrup, molasses, ginger, and cinnamon. Off the heat, add the milk, eggs, and baking soda in its water.
• Measure the flour out into a bowl and pour in the liquid ingredients, beating until very well mixed (it will be a very liquid batter). Pour it into the pan and bake for 3/4 - 1 hour until risen and firm. Be careful not to overcook it, as it is nicer a little stickier, and anyway it will carry on cooking as it cools.
• And when it is cool, get on with the icing. Whisk the lemon juice into the confectioners' sugar first, then gradually add the water. You want a good, thick icing, so go cautiously and be prepared not to add all the water. Spread over the cooled gingerbread with a palette knife, and leave to set before cutting.

GINGERBREAD SQUARES WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Line the dish with parchment paper, letting paper hang over the sides of the dish for easy removal of the brownies.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, melted butter, molasses, sour cream and eggs. Slowly stir in the flour mixture a little at a time, stirring just until no lumps or streaks remain. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the gingerbread comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Allow the gingerbread to cool in the pan 5 to 10 minutes, then remove by lifting both sides of the parchment paper. Place on a wire rack to cool completely.
• Once cool, spread with the Cream Cheese Frosting. Store in an airtight container for up 5 days. Cut into squares and serve, or give as gifts.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese and butter and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and salt. Beat in the confectioners' sugar a little at a time, beating until fully incorporated. Use immediately, or refrigerate up to 5 days.

GINGERBREAD SQUARES WITH HONEY-MASCARPONE CREAM

Steps:

• For topping:
• Whisk mascarpone cheese, honey, and lemon juice in small bowl to blend. Cover; chill until ready to serve. (Can be made 1 day ahead; keep chilled.)
• For cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 8-inch square metal baking pan. Whisk first 6 ingredients in medium bowl to blend well; whisk in crystallized ginger. Whisk oil, molasses, and brown sugar in large bowl to blend; whisk in egg and lemon peel. Gradually whisk in dry ingredients, then boiling water. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
• Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool cake 15 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool completely; cover and store at room temperature.) Cut cake into squares; sift powdered sugar over. Serve warm or at room temperature with topping.
• Italian cream cheese available at Italian markets and many supermarkets.