Ginger Sugar Recipes

GINGER SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Make the cookies: Sift together the flour, ginger, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the egg and beat until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the flour mixture in 2 batches and beat until just incorporated. Divide the dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap; shape each into a disk. Wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Working with 1 piece at a time, lightly flour the dough and roll out until 1/8 inch thick. Cut out shapes with a 3-inch cookie cutter and arrange 1 inch apart on the baking sheets. Refrigerate the cutouts 30 minutes.
• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the cookies are light golden around the edges, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on the baking sheets; transfer to racks to cool completely.
• Make the icing: Whisk the confectioners¿ sugar and meringue powder in a large bowl. Add 5 tablespoons water; beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, adding up to 1 more tablespoon water as needed. Tint with food coloring, if desired. Spread or pipe on the cookies. Sprinkle with nonpareils. Let set, about 1 hour.

CRYSTALLIZED GINGER , GINGER SYRUP & GINGER SUGAR

Steps:

• Peel and slice ginger into 2 inch lenghts and 1/8th inch thick. Using a Mandoline Slicer will give you uniform slices with ease and quickness.
• Toss sugar and ginger together.
• In a large heavy bottom pan heat water add sugared ginger and bring to a very slow simmer.
• Stir over low heat occasionally for 1 and 1/2 hours.
• The ginger will become translucent and the sugar will crystallize on the edge of the pan.
• Sprinkle 1/4 cup sugar on parchment paper or a silicone mat. Lay drained ginger on sugar. Toss the sugar when ginger has cooled enough to handle (about 10 minutes) to coat evenly.
• Place in a air tight container out of heat and light.
• The yummy sugar that is left over can be saved in a jar and used for tea, sugar the rim of glasses drinks or in baking cookies or cakes.
• And for the left over syrup add 1 cup water heat to mix and use as you would corn syrup.

GINGER SUGAR

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Mix sugar and ginger together in a bowl, and spread out in a baking dish to a layer about 1/4 inch thick. Heat in oven for only about 5 minutes, just long enough for the ginger and sugar to begin to melt together but not long enough for it to become a total liquid. Remove from oven and stir well to mix. Leave out to cool and dry, it will take about 24 to 48 hours for it to dry completely. Stir occasionally to assist in the drying process. Once totally dry and crunchy, grind it to the desired texture using a mortal and pestle or even just the back of a fork.

CANDIED GINGER

Steps:

• Spray a cooling rack with nonstick spray and set it in a half sheet pan lined with parchment.
• Peel the ginger root and slice into 1/8-inch thick slices using a mandoline. Place into a 4-quart saucepan with the water and set over medium-high heat. Cover and cook for 35 minutes or until the ginger is tender.
• Transfer the ginger to a colander to drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Weigh the ginger and measure out an equal amount of sugar. Return the ginger and 1/4 cup water to the pan and add the sugar. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar syrup looks dry, has almost evaporated and begins to recrystallize, approximately 20 minutes. Transfer the ginger immediately to the cooling rack and spread to separate the individual pieces. Once completely cool, store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Save the sugar that drops beneath the cooling rack and use to top ginger snaps, sprinkled over ice cream or to sweeten coffee.

GINGER SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl. Cream butter and sugars with a mixer until pale and fluffy. Beat in ginger, then yolk.
• Reduce speed to low, and add flour mixture gradually, beating until just combined. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour (or up to 2 days).
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Turn out dough onto lightly floured parchment. Roll out until 1/4 inch thick, and cut out cookies using a 1 3/4-inch heart-shaped cutter. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets. Brush each cookie with a damp pastry brush, then sprinkle with sanding sugar. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• Bake until cookies are set and light gold around edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks, and let cool. Cookies will keep, covered, for up to 3 days.

GINGER SYRUP

Steps:

• Bring ginger, sugar, and water to a simmer in a small heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved, then gently simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes. Strain through a sieve and reserve ginger for another use (see cooks' note, below), then cool to room temperature.

CITRUS-GINGER SUGAR

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Transfer to an airtight container and cover; let stand at room temperature for at least 4 hours and up to overnight. Sugar may be kept, covered and refrigerated, for up to 2 weeks.

MOM'S GINGER SNAPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• In a large bowl, mix together the brown sugar, oil, molasses, and egg. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger; stir into the molasses mixture. Roll dough into 1 1/4 inch balls. Roll each ball in white sugar before placing 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in preheated oven, or until center is firm. Cool on wire racks.

WARM GRAPEFRUIT WITH GINGER-SUGAR

Steps:

• Preheat broiler. Cut grapefruit crosswise in half. With a small knife, cut around the membrane in the center of each half and discard. Cut around each section to loosen fruit. Place on a baking sheet, cut side up. , Mix ginger and sugar; sprinkle over fruit. Broil 4 in. from heat until sugar is melted, about 4 minutes.

BROWN SUGAR GINGER CRISPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at moderate speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in yolk, vanilla, and gingers. Add flour mixture and mix at low speed until just combined.
• Drop heaping teaspoons of dough about 3 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets and bake in batches in middle of oven until golden, 13 to 15 minutes. Cool cookies on sheets on racks 5 minutes, then transfer with a metal spatula to racks to cool completely.