Gingerbread Cookies

Out here in the Hinternet, one can learn a great many things.  I, myself, learned how to upholster bar stools yesterday.  Honest.  See:

Because of the Hinternet, my mother has discovered Queen.  She is a big fan of Freddie Mercury–as of about two weeks ago.  And she is Very Sad that he died.   Here is her current favorite Freddie Mercury song.[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3o4NsRCHrI&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b]And then, for folks who love to cook, bake and eat or talk about cooking, baking and eating, there’s this.  The National Food Holiday Directory.  I’m not sure that there is an Official Site for National Food Holidays, but this one will do nicely.  I like it because it groups all the Fake National Holidays together (and by fake, I mean the ones that do not buy us Time Off), not just the food ones.  For example, yesterday was positively Crowded with celebration.   Not only was it Cheese Day (hooray!), but it was also Old Maid’s Day, the birthday of the radial tire, the birthday of the shopping cart, Apple Computer Day, Socrates’ Birthday and some other less amusing observances, such as Children’s Awareness Memorial Day and National Cancer Survivor’s Day.  I can only imagine that one would have to Choose One’s Celebration, partying hard for Socrates while letting the shopping cart day slip by.  Otherwise, the sheer exhaustion.   I’ve heard that the shopping cart fete is especially Bacchanalian in nature.

And that brings us to today.   Today’s schedule is light.  I wish you Happy Teacher’s Day, Happy First Hot Air Balloon Flight and Happy World Environment Day.  I would wish you a Happy Attitude Day, but I don’t feel like it.  Oh, and Happy National Gingerbread Day.

June 5 Gingerbread

I like thick, cakey gingerbread–big old hunks with lemon curd is Quite Nice.  I also like a nice gingerbread cookie, and that’s what I shall share with you today.  These little guys (or big guys, depending on how you cut them) stay pretty soft, thanks to the addition of some corn syrup.  If you’d prefer crispy cookies, leave out the corn syrup and increase the sugar by 1.5 ounces.  Roll them out so they are Very Very Thin, and bake them a bit longer.  For softer guys, leave in the corn syrup, roll them out to maybe 1/4″ or so and bake them until set but not browned.

This makes a lot, but worry not–you can a) roll this in sheets between 2 pieces of parchment and freeze some for later or b) cut the recipe in half, or even in quarters.

• 32 oz. all purpose flour
• 2 TBSP cocoa powder
• 2TBSP + 2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp allspice
• 4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound butter
• 12 oz. sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 c molasses
• 1/4 c corn syrup

Make these using The Creaming Method:

1. whisk all dry ingredients together
2. cream butter and sugar until light
3. mix in molasses and corn syrup
4. mix in dry

Chill the dough, sheet, cut out however you want and bake at 325F for 7-10 minutes.  Feel free to add in some minced crystallized ginger, too, if you want.

So, that’s it.  Tomorrow, The Beloved and I will be hosting our Pinehurst relatives.  Since they’re all 90-ish, we’re going to fetch them and then take them home again, so there will be no Unpleasant Driving Incidents.  Once we’re done with all the shuttling and What Not, there will be Adult Beverages on the Porch.

Have a great weekend, friends.  Oh, and in case you’re looking for Reasons to Celebrate this weekend, Happy National Applesauce Cake Day.  Enjoy it, along with Be-Bop-A-Lula Day, Drive In Movie Theater Birthday Day and National Chocolate Ice Cream Day!

What food holiday are you going to make up looking forward to?