Angel Gingerbread Recipes

GINGER ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Sift the flour, confectioners' sugar and salt onto a sheet of parchment paper. Sift again, then set aside.
• Beat the egg whites in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form, about 5 minutes. Gradually beat in the granulated sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, then increase the speed to medium high and continue beating until stiff, shiny peaks form, 12 to 15 minutes. Add the vanilla, lime zest and ginger and beat a few seconds to combine.
• Sprinkle one-quarter of the flour mixture over the egg mixture and gently fold with a rubber spatula. Fold in the remaining flour mixture in 3 additions. Transfer the batter to an ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Bake until the cake feels springy and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Invert the pan onto a funnel or the neck of a bottle and cool completely. Loosen the edges with a small knife, tap the sides of the pan against the counter and unmold.
• Make the sauce: Puree 2 half pints raspberries in a blender with 2 tablespoons water, the granulated sugar, lime zest and lime juice. Strain to remove the seeds. Top the cake with confectioners' sugar, the sauce and the remaining raspberries.
• SERVES: 8 (Dessert); Calories: 325; Total Fat 0.5 grams; Saturated Fat: 0 grams; Protein: 7 grams; Total carbohydrates: 75 grams; Sugar: 57 grams Fiber: 3 grams; Cholesterol: 0 milligrams; Sodium: 150 milligrams

GINGERBREAD ANGELS

Steps:

• Whisk flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, soda, and salt in large bowl. Place crystallized ginger in mini processor; add 1 tablespoon flour mixture and blend until ginger is very finely chopped. Using electric mixer, beat butter in another large bowl until smooth. Add 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar; beat until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Beat in molasses, orange juice, and orange peel (batter may look curdled). Beat in crystallized ginger mixture. Blend in remaining flour-spice mixture. Gather dough together. Flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic; chill at least 4 hours.
• Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Divide dough into 4 portions; shape each into round. Chill 3 rounds. Roll out remaining dough round on floured work surface to generous 1/8-inch thickness. Using floured angel-shaped cookie cutter, cut out cookies. Gather dough scraps and reroll to generous 1/8-inch thickness; cut out more cookies. Using spatula, transfer cookies to sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Brush cookies with glaze, then sprinkle with raw sugar and/or colored sugar, if desired.
• Bake cookies until golden, reversing sheets after 7 minutes, about 14 minutes total. Let stand 2 minutes; transfer to racks to cool. Repeat with remaining dough, cooling baking sheets between batches. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Store between sheets of waxed paper in airtight container.

FAVORITE OLD FASHIONED GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9-inch square pan.
• In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the egg, and mix in the molasses.
• In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Blend into the creamed mixture. Stir in the hot water. Pour into the prepared pan.
• Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan before serving.

ANGEL WHISPERS

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, cream together butter and confectioners' sugar until light. Stir in the lemon peel, flour and salt. Cover bowl, and chill for about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Flatten teaspoons of dough onto cookie sheets, and bake for 5 to 8 minutes, until light brown. Remove from baking sheets to cool on racks.
• To make the filling, combine the beaten egg, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and butter in the top of a double boiler. Stir until thick. Sandwich cookies with 1 teaspoon of filling.