By Barbara Gillingham
A few Christmas Eves ago, I was responsible for the cookie platter. I put it off, knowing I could do it in an afternoon if push came to shove. But a series of last-minute gift shopping in heavy traffic made it impossible to find baking time.
I arrived at my brother’s with a few pathetic biscotti. He stared, raised an eyebrow like John Belushi, and we both laughed. Now I bake cookies way ahead and freeze them or store them in an airtight tin. Just keep it a secret, or they will be gone before the event - like Halloween candy.
Ranchita Gingerbread Boys
Makes 3 dozen, 4-inch tall boys
This is a wonderful gingerbread that is easy to roll out. You may want to cut some into stars or bells. Any remaining dough can be rolled into a log to wrap, freeze and cut into rounds later.
1 cup (2 sticks) margarine
1 cup granulated white sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup molasses
2 tablespoons vinegar
5 cups white all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
Candied ginger (optional) for rolled form
Mixing the doug
Cream margarine with sugar using mixer on medium-high speed. Add salt, egg, molasses and vinegar. In separate bowl, sift flour with baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon and cloves. Stir into margarine-sugar mix. Chill covered for 2-3 hours until firm but still malleable.
Shaping the doug
After dough has chilled but before you start shaping it, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Dust rolling surface and rolling pin with flour and roll out like pie dough until about 1/8-inch thick for crisp cookies or slightly thicker for softer cookies. Slide a spatula under dough from time to time to prevent sticking. Cut with cookie cutter. Place boys 1 inch apart on lightly greased cookie sheet.
Sliced round cookies:
If you don’t want to use cookie cutters, roll dough into a log 2 inches in diameter Roll log in chopped nuts, shaved chocolate or candied ginger-sugar for decorative edge. Chill at least one hour or freeze well wrapped. Bring to room temperature, slice and place on lightly greased cookie sheet.
Baking:
Bake for 6-8 minutes until slightly brown on edges. Remove to rack to cool to preserve crispness. When cool, decorate with Royal Icing.
Royal Icing
3 cups powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
2 egg whites
Sift together sugar and cream of tartar. Beat in egg whites for 5 minutes or until they hold their shape in stiff peaks.
To decorate cookies, divide icing into small portions and add various food coloring. Place white trim icing in decorating pastry bag with tip for more control. For smaller areas, fill sandwich bag and cut corner to use to frost.
Sugar Cookies
Makes 6 dozen 2½-inch cookies
This variation on a basic refrigerator cookie from “The King Arthur Flour 200th Anniversary Cookbook” is easy to roll out and has a nice, buttery sweet taste.
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
¾ cup white granulated sugar
¾ cup brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup milk
Cream butter and sugar together until light. Add vanilla and eggs and beat until mixture becomes fluffy. In separate bowl, thoroughly combine flours, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add about 1 cup to butter mixture. Blend in milk and then remaining dry ingredients. Chill. Follow directions for rolling or cutting out Ranchita Gingerbread Boys. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake thin cookies for 6-9 minutes, thicker ones 10-12 minutes. Watch carefully and remove when edges are golden brown.
For chocolate sugar cookies: Add ½ to ¾ cup cocoa to dry ingredients.
Mom’s Ginger Cookies
Crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, this recipe from my mother, Myrtle Brady, is a wonderful substitute for the Christmas taste of gingerbread boys without the work. Decorate with melted white chocolate or white Royal Icing for the holidays.
¾ cup vegetable oil
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
¼ cup molasses
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Sugared ginger (optional)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat together oil, sugar, eggs and molasses. Sift together flour, salt, ginger and cinnamon. Roll into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in sugar or sugared ginger and place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake until light brown on edges. Remove to cool on rack.
Christmas Meringues
Makes about 5 dozen
4 egg whites
Pinch salt or cream of tartar
1 cup sugar
Preheat oven to 175 to 200 degrees. Separate eggs while they are cold, removing any trace of yolk. Bring whites to room temperature before beating. Make sure bowl and beaters are clean, dry and free of grease. Starting on highest speed, beat egg whites for about three minutes or until they form soft peaks. Keep beating, add ¾ cup sugar gradually and beat on high for 5 minutes until whites form stiff peaks. Add remaining ¼ cup sugar and beat another 2-3 minutes until stiff and shiny. Spoon or pipe from a pastry bag onto greased cookie sheet (parchment or Silpat). Decorate with sugar sprinkles. Bake 45 to 60 minutes or until firm but still white.
Instant Christmas Brownies
(New Year’s Sundae Chocolate Crumble)
Make brownies with a favorite mix. When cooled, cut into stars. Decorate with white chocolate icing and sprinkles. Reserve any leftover crumble and freeze. Later, bring to room temperature and layer a large sundae glass with vanilla ice cream and leftover brownie crumble, then top with chocolate sauce.
