Spicy Gingerbread

Yes, it's nearly June, the kids are out of school, the weather's warming up again, and we've got more than 6 months to go until Christmas, but here I am making gingerbread anyway.  While it may be out of season right now, gingerbread is one of my favorite treats any time of the year.  Which is how it was traditionally enjoyed all over Europe, actually.

Gingerbread is likely one of the oldest traditional recipes I'll ever post on this site, as it dates to at least the 10th century.  In the centuries before the Spanish started to import chocolate from the new world, ginger, cinnamon, clove, and other spices imported from Asia were some of the most exotic flavors available to European bakers, so gingerbreads, usually sweetened with honey or molasses because sugar was too expensive, became a delicacy seen at festivals and royal courts year-round.  Elizabeth I was known to impress foreign  dignitaries by serving gingerbread men (probably without the candy buttons we add today).  English towns held "gingerbread fairs" as late as the nineteenth century, and gingerbread was believed to have some medicinal properties, as an aid to digestion.  (In fact, this is quite true, provided the cake contains enough ginger.  We still use ginger teas and ginger ale for that purpose today.)

While gingerbread, particularly in cookie form, has undoubtedly been eaten at Christmas time since the middle ages, it was not strongly associated with that particular holiday until the mid nineteenth century, at least in the English speaking world.  When Queen Victoria married Albert of Saxe-Koburg (in Bavaria) in the 1830's, they imported many German Christmas traditions to England, including Christmas trees, Saint Nicholas, and gingerbread houses.  Around the same time, a wave of German immigrants were bringing the same traditions with them to the US.  Obviously, the traditions stuck, and while some bakeries today might have gingerbread and other spiced cakes year-round, they're mainly associated with Christmastime.

Which obviously isn't to say that you can't enjoy this spicy cake any time of year, as long as you're willing to make it yourself.  Whether it's June or December, this cake is the perfect not-too-sweet treat to have with your morning coffee or afternoon tea, so I highly recommend making the effort.  And it's actually really easy to make.  There's not even any decorating involved!

This recipe comes straight from one of my Irish cookbooks and is very heavy on the ginger and molasses.  The resulting cake is dense, moist, sweet, and a little spicy.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups AP flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tbs ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 cup molasses
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup buttermilk

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350F, and butter a 9-inch loaf pan.  Whisk together flour, spices, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add molasses, and finally add the buttermilk.  The mixture will appear runny and not emulsified.  Stir in the dry ingredients until combined, then pour the batter into the pan and bake in the preheated oven for 40-50* minutes, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.  Cool before serving.

*The cookbook, written by someone who lives at sea level, says to bake for 40-50 minutes.  Here at 5280 feet, it's more like an hour.  The center was still runny at 40 minutes.

Currant Scones

I said before in my Simple Scottish Scones post that fruit scones like you see in the US aren't really traditional.  That doesn't mean they're not delicious, however, and I had some dried red currants left over from my Irish (American) Soda Bread experiments, so I decided to make some currant scones.

They're very simple to make.  I simply took my basic scone recipe and added some currants, plus sprinkled a little sugar on top before putting them in the oven.  The resulting scone is still light and buttery, but a bit sweeter than the plain scones.  Naturally, I still recommend splitting the scones and filling them with butter and blackcurrant jelly, like I did with the traditional ones.  These are perfect for tea parties, breakfast, or an afternoon treat!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup AP flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 4 tbs butter, plus  more for spreading
• 2 tbs sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1/3 cup dried red currants
• 1 egg 
• 1 tbs water
• blackcurrant jelly

Instructions:

Pre-heat the oven to 425F, and sprinkle a baking sheet with flour.  Combine flour and baking powder in a medium bowl.  Rub in the butter, until the mixture reaches a sand-like texture.  Stir in the sugar and currants, then add the milk and stir until combined.  Turn the mixture out onto a floured surface and knead very briefly until it forms a smooth dough.  Roll the dough out 3/4 inch thick, and cut into triangles or squares with a butter knife.*

Make an egg wash by beating the egg with the water.  Brush the tops of the scones with the egg wash, sprinkle lightly with sugar, place on the baking sheet, and bake in the pre-heated oven for about 15 to 20 minutes, until they've risen and are golden brown.  Let cool briefly, then split with a butter knife and fill with butter and blackcurrant jam.


These are best straight out of the oven, but will keep for a few days in a sealed container at room temperature.  Just don't put the butter and jam in any scones you plan on saving; they'll get soggy.

*Thrifty Scotswoman's tip: traditionally, Scottish scones are cut into circles with a cookie cutter.  While this works well, re-rolling and kneading the scraps to use more of the dough can result in tough scones, and no matter how many times you roll the dough out, you will still end up wasting some.  It's quicker and less wasteful to cut the scones into squares or triangles.

Happy Easter! Hot Cross Buns

Hot cross buns, hot cross buns… Are you singing it in your head yet?  I can't help hearing the melody every time I think of the traditional Easter treat.  Yet many people in the western US have probably never seen actual hot cross buns.  Some bakeries carry them this time of year, but if you want to add this traditional British and Irish touch to your Easter brunch, it's probably easiest to make them yourself.

So what are hot cross buns?  They're slightly sweet rolls with spices and fruit, common in Ireland throughout the Easter season.  They're a great brunch or afternoon tea item, but not sweet enough for dessert.  They are yeast rolls, so allow at least 2 1/2 hours to make these (though you absolutely can make them the night before your brunch).





Ingredients:

• 4 cups AP flour
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup (8 tbs) butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp each allspice and nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup mixed dried fruit, such as raisins, currants, or cherries
• zest of 1 orange

For the glaze:

• 1 egg
• 1 tbs water

For the cross:

• 1/2 cup AP flour
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tbs powdered sugar
• 1 tbs butter, melted

Instructions:

Heat the milk and butter on the stove until the butter melts and the milk just begins to steam.  Stir in the sugar and yeast and let stand for 10 minutes or so, until the mixture becomes foamy.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, spices, and salt.  Slowly add the milk mixture, stirring.  Add the eggs one at a time, then the fruit and orange zest, mixing to combine.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and shiny.  Return the dough to the bowl, lightly oiled, cover the bowl with a clean dishtowel, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into 12-15 even balls.  Turn each ball inside out, pinching the bottoms together.  Set them pinched side down on a lightly oiled baking sheet, cover loosely, and set aside to rise for another 30 minutes or so, until doubled in size.

Pre-heat the oven to 400F.  Make the glaze by whisking together the egg and water.  Lightly brush the buns with the glaze, then make the crosses.  Mix together all ingredients to make a dough.  Form a cross across the top of each bun either using a pastry bag or using your fingers.

Bake in the pre-heated oven 15-20 minutes, until puffed and golden.  Allow to cool until slightly warm.

Simple Scottish Scones

In the US, a scone is a crumbly, sweet pastry with fruit or sometimes chocolate in it.  The proper Scottish variety is nothing like that.  In fact, a true British scone is more like what we call a biscuit over here.  It's light and crumbly, but not particularly sweet.  Of course, this is remedied with liberal quantities of jam and either butter or clotted cream.  They're also very quick and easy to bake, making them the perfect treat to accompany your afternoon tea.





Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups AP flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 4 tbs butter
• 2 tbs sugar
• 2/3 cup milk

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425F.  In a medium bowl, combine flour and baking powder.  Rub in butter by hand or using a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles sand.  Mix in the sugar, and then the milk with a fork.  This should make a slightly sticky dough.  If the mixture is too wet, just add a little flour.

Turn out onto a floured surface and roll the dough out until it's about 1/2" thick.  Cut into circles with a cookie cutter, or into squares or triangles with a butter knife.  Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for about 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until the scones have risen and are slightly golden.  Allow to cool slightly.

To serve: split the scones in half using a knife and spread with butter or clotted cream and jam.  Enjoy fresh from the oven with a cup of black tea for breakfast or an afternoon snack.

Makes 6-8 scones.


Brief notes on butter:

First, while butter is the traditional accompaniment to scones in Scotland (and is absolutely delicious), clotted cream is also popular. Clotted cream is close in texture to butter, but tastes more like heavy cream, and is originally from the southwest of England, particularly Devon and Cornwall.  You'll be able to find it at some specialty stores in the US, but it will be expensive.  Apparently it can be made at home, too, though I have yet to try this.  On the whole, unless you're hosting a fancy tea party, I'd recomend butter.

Second, which butter to use?  Well, as I explained in my post on Scottish shortbread, I use Kerrygold Irish butter because it and other European style butters have more fat, and therefore more flavor, than American butter.  It's more expensive than store-brand butter, but after one bite of softer, more flavorful baked goods, your taste buds will definitely thank you!  That being said, American butter will also work, if you don't want to spend the extra money.

Bread and Butter Pudding

So I found this little gem at the Tattered Cover this week:

 This excellent discovery (combined with several more inches of snow) means it's time for some wonderful, warm Irish comfort food.  I had some cinnamon raisin bread in the fridge, and adapted the recipe accordingly (read: left out the raisins), but otherwise, this is right from the new cookbook.  It's also one of the simplest recipes for bread pudding I've ever tried, and uses only ingredients you've probably already got on hand.

While bread pudding isn't exactly a fancy dessert, as it evolved as a way of using up stale bread, it's one of my favorites, and absolutely perfect for a cold winter evening.  (It's also great for breakfast with a strong cup of tea.)



Ingredients:

• 8 Slices cinnamon raisin bread
• 2 tbs butter
• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups milk (preferably whole)
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

Butter the bread on both sides, cut them in half, and lay them out, overlapping, pointed ends up, in a glass baking pan.  In a medium bowl, beat the eggs well, then beat in the milk, sugar, and vanilla.  Pour the mixture over the bread, and let sit for 10-15 minutes so the bread can absorb the wet ingredients.

Pre-heat oven to 350F.  Sprinkle the top with sugar, and bake the pudding aproximately 35 minutes, until slightly puffy and browned.  Serve warm.



Many bread pudding recipes I've come across include some sort of sauce for drizzling over, but you really don't need it.  The pudding is moist and sweet enough just as-is, but if you feel inclined to top it with hard sauce or even just a drizzle of caramel or melted chocolate, who am I to stop you?  Enjoy!

Scottish Shortbread

Shortbread is one of the simplest types of cookie you can possibly make.  There are just 4 ingredients- butter, flour, sugar, salt- and the result is a wonderfully tender, crumbly, not too sweet cookie with a subtle, buttery flavour.  Because of its simplicity, you can really add pretty much anything you want to it.  In my research, I've seen variations ranging from thumbprint cookies with strawberry or apricot jam to salted caramel shortbread squares to shortbread cookies with rosemary and thyme, and while some of these look interesting, I'm generally of the opinion that simpler is better when it comes to food.

While I'll probably try (and post) some fancy shortbreads eventually, this recipe is an attempt at recreating a family recipe handed down from a Scottish great-grandmother that I think my mom has, but I can't find in her messy kitchen.  I definitely remember my mom making these at Christmas when I was little and letting my and my brothers cut out and decorate Santas and Christmas trees.  She called them "butter cookies" at the time, so I didn't realize that they were shortbread, rather than some variation of sugar cookie, until much later.

The recipe I've come up with through much experimentation is a combination of Joy of Baking, Martha Stewart, a couple of online resources, several of them Scottish, and what my mom remembers about the recipe that's buried in a cookbook somewhere (probably).  After much research, I decided to go with a very simple formula: 1 part butter: 1/2 part sugar: 1 1/2 part flour, with a pinch of salt because I use unsalted butter.  I decided not to mix the AP flour with rice flour or corn starch like some of the Scottish recipes do because my mother certainly never added corn starch, and I can't picture my great-grandmother even knowing where to buy rice flour.  Anyway, I can't imagine rice having been readily available in 15th or 16th century Scotland, when buttered shortbread was first popularized (Mary, Queen of Scots is said to have been a fan).  I've omitted the vanilla extract common in American recipes for similar reasons: no one in my family uses it in shortbread, and vanilla isn't exactly native to northern Europe.  Besides, simpler is usually better.  I've also decided to use granulated rather than powdered sugar because that's what my grandmother's recipe called for.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• pinch of salt

Instructions: 

pre-heat oven to 350F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Cream together butter, sugar, and salt in a medium mixing bowl with a wooden spoon.  Add flour 1 cup at a time, mixing well.  Once all flour has been added, the dough should be fairly grainy.  Gently press the dough into a 1/2 inch thick rectangle on the baking sheet, cut into bars, and prick the top with a fork, preferably in a decorative pattern.  Alternately, roll out dough on a floured surface and cut shapes with a cookie cutter. Bake in the preheated oven approximately 25 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown.  Let cool.


Note on butter:

Did you know that European butter is 85% fat, while American butter is only 75%?  While this sounds great to those Americans who count calories and watch their fat consumption, it can cause some difficulties when baking, especially if the recipe uses a lot of butter, as in the case of croissants or (more relevantly) shortbread.  The lower fat American variety of butter will still result in a good product, and it will be slightly lower calorie, but using a European butter will result in more tender baked goods.  I once made two batches of shortbread side-by-side, one with Kerrygold unsalted butter and the other with a Trader Joe's brand, and I was staggered by the difference in both texture and flavour.  I definitely recommend not worrying too much about the calories and using Kerrygold or another European style butter.