Gingerbread

(Martha Stewart)

Gingerbread has been around for centuries!  I had no idea.  The smell of gingerbread makes me batty, I love it so much.  I knew I loved the smell but had no idea of the love affair I would have with it until a neighbor shared a gingerbread house making kit with us.  In that kit were 6 cookies, an assortment of candies to decorate with, and icing to top them with.  After the girls constructed, decorated, and nibbled on the goodies we ate the cookies.  I fell in love with them in the first bite.  So yummy and spicy and heavenly with icing on top.  

   (Martha Stewart)

I did a little research of this yummy treat.  I found that the gingerbread that we know today is not what it has always been.  Europe is where it seems to have come from.  There were many different forms of gingerbread.  Some were soft, some were crunchy, some were sweet and some were spicy.  Usually the gingerbread was cut into shapes of people, animals, or stars.  Some were decorated elaborate and others dusted with white sugar.  

 (Martha Stewart)

Ginger has a preserving quality to it and is probably why ginger cakes and such were made.  Thank goodness for that!!  Here is a great recipes to try for the holidays courtesy of none other then Martha Stewart.

Chocolate Gingerbread Cookie

•7 ounces best-quality semisweet chocolate

•1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

•1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger

•1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

•1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

•1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

•1 tablespoon cocoa powder

•8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

•1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

•1/2 cup dark-brown sugar, packed

•1/4 cup unsulfured molasses

•1 teaspoon baking soda
•1/4 cup granulated sugar


•Line two baking sheets with parchment. Chop chocolate into 1/4-inch chunks; set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and cocoa.
•In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and grated ginger until whitened, about 4 minutes. Add brown sugar; beat until combined. Add molasses; beat until combined.
•In a small bowl, dissolve baking soda in 1 1/2 teaspoons boiling water. Beat half of flour mixture into butter mixture. Beat in baking-soda mixture, then remaining half of flour mixture. Mix in chocolate; turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Pat dough out to about 1 inch thick; seal with wrap; refrigerate until firm, 2 hours or more.
•Heat oven to 325 degrees. Roll dough into 1 1/2- inch balls; place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Roll in granulated sugar. Bake until the surfaces crack slightly, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

(Martha Stewart)

(Martha Stewart)

I love checking out Martha's website for great ideas!