rmccracken@medicinehatnews.com@MHNMcCracken
Part 1 of 2
his Christmas season has undoubtedly been like no other, with changes to virtually every aspect of the way we enjoy the holiday with friends and family – but if there’s one thing COVID hasn’t impacted too heavily, it’s
holiday baking.
Gingerbread has always been an important part of every Christmas season in the McCracken household. While our gingerbread house building contest had to be put on hold due to the pandemic, it hasn’t stopped me from cooking up a small army of gingerbread men using my mother’s recipe from Germany.
And I’m not alone. Hatters across the city have been
baking up a storm using
their own family recipes this Holiday season, and many stepped forwuard to share their favourites for our cookbook.
To start things off, here’s my family gingerbread recipe – great for cookies or house-building!
McCracken Family Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients:
- 5 ½ cups flour
-Â 1 tsp baking soda
-Â 1 tsp salt
-Â 2 tsp ginger
-Â 2 tsp cinnamon
-Â 1 tsp nutmeg
-Â 1 tsp cloves
-Â 1 cup shortening
-Â 1 cup sugar
- 1 ¼ cup molasses
-Â 2 eggs, beaten
Directions
-Â Thoroughly mix flour, baking soda, salt and spices
-Â Melt shortening in a large saucepan
-Â Add sugar, molasses and eggs, mix well
-Â Cool slightly and add to dry ingredients
-Â Chill well
-Â Preheat oven to 350F
-Â Knead lightly
- Roll out to around ¼ inch thickness, cut shapes
-Â Bake for 10 minutes
– Ice and decorate!
Part 2 will appear in Friday’s News
Michelle Harker’s Brown Butter Bourbon Pecan Chocolate Chip CookiesÂ
Ingredients
For the Buttered Pecans:
– 1 1/2 Cups pecan halves, finely chopped
– 1 1/2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
For the Brown Butter Bourbon Pecan Chocolate Chunk Cookies:
– 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, melted until browned
– 2 1/3 Cups all-purpose flour (don’t pack the flour)
– 1 teaspoon salt
– 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
– 1 teaspoon baking soda
– 1 Cup dark brown sugar, packed
– 1/2 Cup granulated sugar
– 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
– 2 Tablespoons bourbon
– 2 Large eggs, at room temperature
– 12 ounces dark chocolate chips
– 24 pecans halvesÂ
– Smoked sea salt
Directions
For the Buttered Pecans:
1. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in chopped pecans and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Set aside until needed.
For the Brown Butter:
1. Place the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook for about 6 minutes – stirring almost constantly – until the butter has browned. Pour the brown butter into a heatproof bowl, being sure to scrape all of the “toasted” bits into the bowl as well. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for 2 hours, or until the butter is at room temperature. You’ll know the butter is at room temperature when you press a finger into the top and it makes a slight indentation. It should not be liquid at all.
2. Once the butter is at room temperature, you’re ready to get baking!
For the Brown Butter Bourbon Pecan Chocolate Chunk Cookies:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside until needed.
2. In a large bowl combine flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda; whisk well to combine then set aside until needed.
3. In a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine browned butter and both sugars and beat on medium-speed until light and fluffy; about 2 minutes. Add in the vanilla and bourbon and beat until combined. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating for 15 seconds after each addition. Turn mixer off. Using a wooden spoon or sturdy rubber spatula, gently fold in the flour, stirring only until the flour begins to disappear. Fold in the chocolate chips and buttered pecans.
4. Roll 3 tablespoon sized scoops of dough between your palms to form a ball (I used an ice cream scooper), then place on prepared sheets (make sure to leave enough room in between each cookie for spreading). Continue this process until all the dough has been rolled. Press a pecan on the top of each cookie dough mound, if desired.
5. Place baking sheets in preheated oven, one at a time, and bake for 9-10 minutes, or until golden at the edges but still soft in the middle. Repeat with all cookie dough. Sprinkle cookies with sea salt right when they come out of the oven. Let cookies cool for 10 minutes on baking sheet before transferring to a wire wrack to cool completely.
Joanne Bourassa’s Butter Cookie Snowmen
Ingredients
-Â 1 cup butter, softened
– 1/2 cup sugar
-Â 1 tbsp milk
-Â 1 tsp vanilla extract
-Â 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
-Â Red and yellow paste food colouring
– Miniature chocolate chips
Directions
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add milk and vanilla; mix well. Gradually add flour. Remove 1/4 cup of dough to a small bowl; tint with red food colouring; set aside.Â
For snowmen, shape white dough into 24 balls, 1 1/4 inch each.
For bodies, place large balls on two ungreased baking sheets; flatten to 3/8 inch thickness. Place 1/2 inch balls above bodies for heads, flatten.
Shape red dough into 24 balls, 1/8 inch each, and 24 triangles.
Place triangles above heads; attach 1/8 inch white balls for tassels. Place red balls on heads for noses.
Divide the yellow dough into 24 pieces; shape into scarves and position on snowmen.
Add chocolate chip eyes and buttons.
Bake at 325F for 13-16 minutes or until set.
Cool for two minutes before removing to wire racks.
