Ginger and Spice and Everything Nice

Well, it's that time of year. Christmas time! You know what that means . . . time for some holiday treats. I like to give little bags of goodies to people I don't buy presents for, but want to give something more than just a card. I find the easiest way is to just make a few treats and put them in festive bags (found at Target, of course). I tried out two new recipes just the other night. Both are from The Best of Fine Cooking Cookies and are good if you want to make them in advance. 

Ginger & Spice Cookies

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

Fine Cooking Cookies, Dec 2008

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Pinch of ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/4 cup shortening

1 1/3 cups granulated sugar

1 large egg

1/4 cup molasses

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt. 

In another large bowl, beat the butter, shortening, and 1 cup of the sugar with a mixer or a wooden spoon until well combined. Add the egg and molasses to the butter mixture; beat well. Add the dry ingredients and mix until well blended, scraping often (if you're using an electric mixer, set it on low speed). 

Shape the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in the remaining 1/3 cup sugar. Put the bals 2 inches apart on parchment lined baking sheets. Bake until the cookies are lightly browned around the edges and puffed, about 13 minutes. Let the cookies sit for 5 minutes on the sheets and then transfer them to a rack to cool completely. 

Cranberry Streusel Shortbread Bars

Make about 35 1 3/4 inch square bars

Fine Cooking Cookies, Dec 2008

For the Crust and Streusel

1 cup + 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled to just warm

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 teaspoons salt

2 large egg yolks

3 cups + 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

For the Cranberry Topping

One 12-ounce bag fresh or frozen cranberries, picked over, rinsed and drained

1 cup granulated sugar

Make the Crust

Line a straight-sided 13x9-inch metal baking pan with foil, letting the ends create an overhanging edge for easy removal. 

In a medium bowl, stir the butter, 3/4 cup of the sugar and the salt. Whisk in the egg yolks. Stir in the flour to make a stiff dough. Transfer about 2 cups of the dough to the prepared pan, and press the mixture evenly into the bottom. Prick the dough all over with a fork. Refrigerate the pan for 30 minute (or freeze for 5 to 7 minutes) until the dough is firm.

Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and another near the top. Heat the oven to 325 degrees. 

Bake the dough on the center rack until the crust begins to set but does not brown at all on the edges (the center will not be firm yet), about 20 minutes. While the crust bakes, prepare the streusel and the cranberry topping.

Make the Streusel

With your fingers, combine the remaining  1/4 cup sugar with the reserved dough until crumbly. The mixture should hold together when pressed, but readily break into smaller pieces.

Make the Cranberry Topping

In a medium saucepan, bring the cranberries, sugar and 1/4 cup water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium high and continue to boil until the liquid is reduced to a thick syrup, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool for 5 to 10 minutes -- the syrup will continue to thicken as the mixture cools.

Spread the cranberry mixture evenly over the hot crust. Scatter the streusel over the cranberries (don't crumble the streusel too much or the texture will be sandy). Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake the bars near the top of the oven until the streusel is golden and set, about 25 minutes.  

Set the pan on a metal rack to cool until the crust is completely firm, at least 1 hour. 

When the bottom of the pan is cool, carefully lift the bars from the pan using the foil sides and transfer them to a cutting board. Separate the foil from the bars by sliding a spatula between them. Cut the bars into 1 3/4-inch squares. They will keep at room temperature for one week.