Perhaps it’s natural inclination following such bitter cold to pull
toward the heart of things. In the kitchen, mid-afternoon, I sit down
to tea, warmth tingling my hands around the cup. Looking up at a
calendar, I find a red heart throbbing in this month’s center. It’s a
comfort, just as the winter starts to seem bleak. It’s prompted me to
knead and cut and bake a whole batch of hearts. But not frail or lacy
ones; rather strong, sturdy biscuits in demure brown, all identical,
stacked up, able to last the winter.
With a good warm ginger flavor, not too sweet, not a bit flaky, they
hold their shape precisely and, being true tea biscuits, insist on
being dipped. Any warm beverage will do. They’re equally at home with
morning coffee and afternoon tea, hot cocoa and mulled cider. They’re
a fine little something to have on hand when people just happen by,
coming in from the cold.
If you want to take them out, you can dress them up a bit with a simple
glaze of powdered sugar mixed with juice from the zested lemon. You
can double the recipe, as in fact, what I’ve given below is halved from
the original. You can even give them as teething biscuits. But
perhaps most importantly, you can reach for one of these humble little
cookies anytime, adding a little nicety into routine.
Gingered Tea Biscuits
1 ¼ c. packed brown sugar
¾ c. cream
½ c. molasses
1 ½ tsp. powdered ginger
4 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
zest from one lemon
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Beat sugar and cream until thick. Add in
molasses, ginger and lemon zest. In a separate bowl, whisk together
flour, baking soda and salt; add gradually to cream mixture. Knead
together until smooth. Place in a covered bowl and chill for an hour.
Divide the dough into fourths and, working with one piece at a time,
roll out to 1/8 inch thickness, dusting with flour if necessary to keep
the dough from sticking. Cut into shapes and bake about 15 minutes,
until slightly puffed. Knead scraps together before re-rolling.
Let cool on the baking sheet a few minutes before removing to a wire
rack. When cool, store in an airtight container. They will keep for
weeks. If they become too hard, place a wedge of apple in the sealed
container to soften the cookies.
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Editor’s Note: Angela Denstad Stigeler writes a food column each week
for the Caledonia Argus. She, her husband and their two young children
live in Caledonia.
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