Ginger Pennies Rose Levy Beranbaum Food

GINGER PENNIES ( ROSE LEVY BERANBAUM)

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda and salt; Whisk to mix evenly.
• Cream together brown sugar, egg, molasses and butter.
• On low speed, beat in flour mixture until well blended.
• Scrape mixture into freezer bag, close securely, and cut off small corner; Pipe 1/8 teaspoons dots about 1” apart on greased cookie sheet.
• Bake at 325F about 5 minutes or until browned.
• Cool on sheets 3 minutes, then on rack.
• Keep them separate so they do not stick to each other.
• Stores in an airtight container several months.

SPICY CHRISTMAS GINGER COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream butter, sugar, spices, salt and backing soda until well blended.
• Beat in the egg and ginger, then the flour, alternating with the molasses.
• Refrigerate the dough for several hours, or overnight; it needs to be stiff enough to handle easily.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Roll half the dough about 1/4" thick on a floured surface (I mix flour with sugar in the raw). Cut into whatever shapes you like.
• Transfer to an ungreased or parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough. (I sprinkled some iwth sugar in the raw).
• Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes until they're puffy, and the edges are firm.
• 8. Remove from oven and cool on the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely.

MELTING MOMENTS

Steps:

• Whisk together in a medium bowl flour, cornstarch, and salt.
• In a food processor fitte with the metal blade, process the powdered sugar until very fine.
• Cut the butter into a few pieces and add it in the food processor with the motor running.
• Process until smooth and creamy.
• Pulse in the vanilla extract.
• Scrape the sides of the bowl.
• Add the flour mixture and pulse in just until incorporated.
• Scrape the dough into a bowl and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 375.
• Form dough into"ropes" 1/2 inch in diameter and 2 1/2 inch long.
• Curve dough into crescent shape.
• Place dough on cookie sheet covered in parchment paper (or buttered cookie sheet).
• Bake for 10-15 minutes or until just beginning to brown around the bottom edges.
• Allow cookies to cool on sheets for a few minutes.
• Transfer cookies to powdered sugar and roll gently.
• Careful: these cookies are delcate!

CHOCOLATE PIXIES

Steps:

• In large saucepan melt margarine and choclate over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth.
• Remove from heat, cool slightly Add flour, walnuts, baking powder,salt, sugar and eggs, add chocolate to mixture.
• Cover dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour for easier handling.
• Heat oven to 300 degrees, shape dough into 1 inch balls, roll balls into powdered sugar, coating heavily, place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheet, bake for 13-18 minutes.
• Remove from cookie sheet to cool.

WHITE CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Break the chocolate into individual squares and place in a bowl set over a pot of hot water (no hotter than 160 F) on low heat.
• The water must not touch the bottom of the bowl.
• Remove the pot from the heat and stir until the chocolate begins to melt.
• Return to the heat if the water cools, but be careful it does not get too hot.
• Stir until smooth.
• (The chocolate may be melted in a microwave on high power if stirred every 15 seconds. Remove before fully melted and stir, using the residual heat to complete the melting.) Allow the chocolate to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
• In a mixing bowl beat the cream cheese (preferably with a flat beater) until smooth and creamy.
• Gradually beat in the cooled chocolate until smoothly incorporated.
• Beat in the butter and lemon juice.
• Use at once or to ensure smoothness rebeat at ROOM TEMPERATURE (to prevent it from curdling) before frosting.
• Store: 1 day room temperature, 2 weeks refrigerated, 2 months frozen.
• Allow to come to room temperature before rebeating.
• Pointers for success: Do not overheat the chocolate and stir constantly while melting.
• Be sure no moisture gets into the melted chocolate.
• Beat constantly while adding the chocolate to prevent lumping.
• If lumping should occur, it can be remedied by pressing the buttercream through a fine strainer.
• Buttercream may separate slightly if room temperature is very warm.
• This can be corrected by setting the bowl in ice water and whisking the mixture.
• The buttercream becomes spongy on standing.
• Rebeat to restore smoothy creamy texture.
• Use ice to chill your hand during piping to maintain firm texture of the buttercream.