Cherry Ginger Hermit Bars Recipes

SPICY HERMIT BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
• Place the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, add the egg, scrape down the bowl, then mix in the molasses.
• Sift together the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing just until combined. Mix in the raisins and crystallized ginger. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Turn the dough out onto a very lightly floured board, form it into a disk with lightly floured hands, and cut it in half. Roll each half into a log 12 inches long and place them 3 inches apart on the prepared sheet pan. Bake for 20 minutes; the logs will still be soft in the center.
• Meanwhile, whisk the confectioners' sugar with 5 to 6 teaspoons rum to make a pourable glaze. While the logs are still warm, drizzle the glaze back and forth across the logs with a teaspoon and sprinkle them with the lemon zest. Allow to cool. Cut each log crosswise into 1 1/2-inch-wide bars.

CHERRY-GINGER HERMIT BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch cake pan, then line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-in. overhang on long sides.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until combined.
• Using a stand mixer, beat sugar and butter in a large bowl on high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add molasses and mix until fully incorporated. Reduce speed to low and gradually add flour mixture, beating until a soft dough forms. Add cherries and candied ginger.
• Using hands, press evenly into the prepared pan. Bake until puffed and just barely pulling away from sides, 25 to 30 minutes (it will keep cooking in the pan). Let cool completely in pan.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together confectioners' sugar, orange zest, and juice until smooth. Drizzle glaze over cooled bars, then sprinkle with zest and sliced ginger, if desired.

HERMIT BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with the nonstick spray. Line the pan with a piece of parchment, leaving an overhang on two sides; spray the parchment with the nonstick spray.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt.
• With an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, then the molasses. Reduce speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture, mixing just until incorporated. Mix in the raisins and walnuts.
• Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Cool completely in the pan. Holding both sides of the paper overhang, lift the cake out of the pan, transfer to a cutting board, and cut into 24 squares.

HERMIT BARS WITH BROWN SUGAR ICING AND CANDIED GINGER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 10 × 15-inch baking pan, and line the bottom with parchment paper. Butter the parchment, and set the pan aside. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium speed until smooth. Add the sugar; beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, yolk, and molasses.
• Add the flour mixture; beat on low speed until combined. Add 1/2 cup candied ginger and the raisins; beat until combined.
• Spread the dough into the prepared pan in an even layer, and bake until firm to the touch, 18 to 22 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Remove from the oven; let cool completely in the pan before icing.
• Drizzle with icing, and then sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup candied ginger. Let stand until icing has set, about 15 minutes. Serve cut into squares.
• Brown Sugar Icing
• Combine the brown sugar, milk, and butter in a medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat; whisk in the vanilla and confectioners' sugar. If the icing is too thick to drizzle, stir in a little more milk. If it is too thin, add a little more confectioners' sugar. Let cool slightly before using.

HERMIT BARS

Steps:

• In a bowl whisk together the flour, the baking soda, the salt, the cinnamon, the nutmeg, and the cloves. In another bowl with an electric mixer cream the butter with the brown sugar, beat in the egg, and beat in the molasses. Add the flour mixture, beating the mixture until it is just combined, and stir in the raisins and the walnuts. Spread the mixture in a buttered and floured 13- by 9-inch baking pan and bake it in the middle of a preheated 350°F. oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a tester comes clean. Let the mixture cool completely in the pan on a rack and cut it into 24 bars.