Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Gingerbread Bars


What is it about the Autumn and spiced foods. Around this time of year I start craving spiced foods such as Chai, gingerbread, and now even Indian food. Last week I think I made three Indian type dishes. Maybe its because spices are warming. I wonder if this is a "me" thing or a Northeast thing or an American thing.

A lot of people don't realize it but the spices, besides tasting good, have healing or nutritive properties. Recently turmeric was undergoing some study that found it reduced the incidence of Alzheimers. The big one that most people are aware of now is cinnamon, it actually lowers blood sugar. Then there is licorice root that actually raises blood pressure ( which is a good thing for people with low blood pressure).

Gingerbread Bars
recipe from Epicurious

2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
7 1/2 tablespoons sugar, divided
2 large eggs
1/4 cup light (unsulfured) molasses

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 15x10x1-inch baking sheet. Place 2 cups flour in medium bowl; transfer 2 tablespoons flour to small bowl and reserve. Add spices, baking soda, and salt to flour in medium bowl; whisk to blend. Using electric mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, and 6 tablespoons sugar in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, then molasses. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture and beat to blend. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. *(Sift reserved 2 tablespoons flour evenly over batter, then sprinkle evenly with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar.)

Bake gingerbread until golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 22 minutes; cool completely in pan on rack. Cut gingerbread crosswise into 4 strips, then cut each strip into 6 pieces, forming 24 bars, each about 31/2x13/4 inches.

* In my opinion this step really does nothing for the final product. The bars are great tasting in and of themselves.

13 comments:

RoSi said...

oooh im trying this tomorrow...yay!, fall

Katy ~ said...

Gingerbread is a HUGE personal favorite of mine. This sounds dee-lish!!

grace said...

when you started talking about turmeric, i was afraid for a second that it was in your bars--wouldn't that be weird!! i'm glad it's not, and i'm glad the spices that you DID use are there. great, great bars. :)

kat said...

All those smells & tastes just scream fall to me

Jen said...

These look like they'd have a great fall/winter taste. I love gingerbread. Reminds me of the holidasy

Coloring Book Review said...

It just reinforces good food is good for you and makes you feel good. Cinnamon is a favorite of mine, Ginger for tummies and chocolate for everything.

Ingrid_3Bs said...

Those look good! I'm thinking a swirl of pumpkin or pumpkin cheesecake.

Btw, I don't get that flour and sugar sprinkled on top. Weird.

Oh, yeah and how about them YANKS!? A-Rod's been strong but how about CC?! He's a beast! :) We need AJ to be in control today. No wild pitches and hit batters to put runners on base, run, steal, and score!
~ingrid

ellie said...

Ooh i can almost smell the spicy goodness from here. That and the crisp falling leaves fall is my avourite season.

and i'm a true believer in foods to heal.
x

Mary Bergfeld said...

I've made these and they're every bit as good as you say they are.

Anh said...

My husband would love to try this! It looks great and I can sense the fragrance in the air.

Anonymous said...

I love me some gingerbread. Those sound amazing.

Murasaki Shikibu said...

I love gingerbread anything but molasses have been difficult to get in some of the countries that I've lived in.

As for the smells, I've noticed that in North America, a lot of the stores begin to smell pleasantly spicy (you know those Christmas smells) at this time of the year and maybe this has a subliminal effect on your brain? ;)

Murasaki Shikibu said...

It's that problem with finding molasses as usual. Well, one of these days. My mouth is watering just thinking about these...