Spice Balls 35 Food

RUTH MOULTON'S SPICE BALLS

Steps:

• Combine the butter and 1 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer
• Beat until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes
• Beat in the egg and molasses
• Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger and salt onto a piece of parchment
• Add mixture to the butter in two batches, beating until just combined
• Cover and chill for 2-3 hours or until quite firm
• Preheat the oven to 350°F
• Put the remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a pie plate and spread the chopped crystallized ginger out on a large plate
• Working in batches of about a dozen at a time, shape the dough into walnut-size balls and roll first in the ginger, pressing the ginger pieces gently into the dough (the ball should only be sparsely covered with candied ginger, do not coat it completely) then in the sugar, rolling to coat the ball all over with the sugar
• Arrange the balls 2-inches apart on parchment paper-lined sheet pans and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 8-10 minutes or until barely golden but still soft
• Cool for 5 minutes on the sheet pan before transferring to a rack to cool
• MORE: Clinton Kelly's One-Bite Whoopie Pies Grant's No-Bake Snowball Cookies Grant's No-Measure Peanut Butter Cookies

SPICE BALLS [35]

Steps:

• Heat oil in deep-fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). In a large bowl, mix flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, salt, mace and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Create a well in the center of the mixture, and pour in milk, canola oil and egg. Thoroughly stir into the mixture. In batches, drop the mixture by rounded teaspoonfuls into the hot oil. Fry on all sides, 2 to 4 minutes, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. In a resealable plastic bag, mix 1 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. While still warm, place balls a few at a time into the bag, and toss to coat.