Ginger Sugar Food

GINGER SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Make the cookies: Sift together the flour, ginger, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the egg and beat until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the flour mixture in 2 batches and beat until just incorporated. Divide the dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap; shape each into a disk. Wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Working with 1 piece at a time, lightly flour the dough and roll out until 1/8 inch thick. Cut out shapes with a 3-inch cookie cutter and arrange 1 inch apart on the baking sheets. Refrigerate the cutouts 30 minutes.
• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the cookies are light golden around the edges, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on the baking sheets; transfer to racks to cool completely.
• Make the icing: Whisk the confectioners¿ sugar and meringue powder in a large bowl. Add 5 tablespoons water; beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, adding up to 1 more tablespoon water as needed. Tint with food coloring, if desired. Spread or pipe on the cookies. Sprinkle with nonpareils. Let set, about 1 hour.

CRYSTALLIZED GINGER , GINGER SYRUP & GINGER SUGAR

Steps:

• Peel and slice ginger into 2 inch lenghts and 1/8th inch thick. Using a Mandoline Slicer will give you uniform slices with ease and quickness.
• Toss sugar and ginger together.
• In a large heavy bottom pan heat water add sugared ginger and bring to a very slow simmer.
• Stir over low heat occasionally for 1 and 1/2 hours.
• The ginger will become translucent and the sugar will crystallize on the edge of the pan.
• Sprinkle 1/4 cup sugar on parchment paper or a silicone mat. Lay drained ginger on sugar. Toss the sugar when ginger has cooled enough to handle (about 10 minutes) to coat evenly.
• Place in a air tight container out of heat and light.
• The yummy sugar that is left over can be saved in a jar and used for tea, sugar the rim of glasses drinks or in baking cookies or cakes.
• And for the left over syrup add 1 cup water heat to mix and use as you would corn syrup.

GINGER SYRUP

Steps:

• Bring ginger, sugar, and water to a simmer in a small heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved, then gently simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes. Strain through a sieve and reserve ginger for another use (see cooks' note, below), then cool to room temperature.

SOFT GINGER SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine flour, ginger, soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Set aside.
• Beat butter 30 seconds, until soft.
• Add sugar and beat until fluffy.
• Add egg and molasses and beat well.
• Add 1/2 the flour mixture and stir in, then stir in the rest of the flour mixture.
• The dough should be at a consistency that you can roll it with your hands into balls. I often have to add quite a bit more flour.
• Roll into 1 inch balls, then roll the balls in sugar.
• Place cookes 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 8-11 minutes. Do not brown! The cookies should be almost underbaked in the middle.
• Let, cool 2 minutes and transfer to a cooling rack. Store in cookie tins.