I tend to overbake because there seems to be a fine line between "golden brown" and "brown and crunchy." I actually like "brown and crunchy," but they dry out fast. I was careful with these. Used a timer and checked them repeatedly. As usual, my baking time was a few minutes longer than the one in the recipe.
You inspired me, too--I'd never seen Jay Lake's recipe until you linked to it, but anything with lots of ginger in it looks good to me. My niece and I made a half batch this afternoon. We did use Ghirardelli 70% bars instead of chocolate chips, giving a messier chocolate chunk look. Tasted fine, though!
I used Ghirardelli semisweet chips, which I think taste better than Nestles. I used a *lot* of ginger, a tablespoon of cinnamon, a tablespoon of freshly grated nutmeg, and a shake of allspice.
I think this is the best choc chip cookie I have ever had. The various spices add a lot.
I used a tablespoon of cinnamon to the half-recipe, but no nutmeg--maybe next time. And after baking a test cookie, we added another round of ginger. I'm not sure that I think the almond extract adds anything for me, so next time I may leave it out and double the vanilla. But anyway you tweak it, it's a wonderful chocolate chip cookie.
My sister-in-law's gingerbread cookie recipe uses fresh ginger and lots of white pepper--gingerbread with a bite. I have her make gingerbread men about 1 inch high out of that dough.
from "Pacific Flavors" by Hugh Carpenter Prep Time: 40 minutes Very spicy--the Tablespoon of pepper is not a typo!
1 cup unsalted butter, slightly softened 2 cups sugar 5 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely minced 2 eggs, well beaten 1/2 cup molasses 1 tablespoon white pepper 2 teaspoons white vinegar 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 4 cups flour
Place butter and sugar in a food processor fitted with the steel knife. Cream until evenly combined, then add ginger, eggs, molasses, white pepper, and vinegar. Process to evenly combine, then add baking soda, cinnamon, and cloves. Process again to combine evenly.
Turn out into a mixing bowl. Work in flour, 1 cup at a time, until evenly mixed. Divide dough into 3 balls and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 3 hours.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. When dough is well-chilled, roll out onto a lightly floured board or pastry cloth into a 1/4-in. thick sheet. Cut into desired shapes. (Alternatively, roll into 1-in. balls and dip in granulated sugar if desired.)
Line a baking sheet with parchment; place cookies 1/2 in. apart and bake until firm but not dried out, about 15 min. Serve at room temperature. Will freeze indefinitely.
These are great cookies. I've made Jay's cookies a number of times. In fact, I should make some more like today. The ginger and cinnamon really make these great.
We actually call these Parking Lot Cookies around here because our first enounter with the cookies was at a convention in Portland when Jay Lake got up early in the morning to bake these cookies, drove to the hotel, and container holding said cookies tumbled and spilled in the parking lot. I think only two cookies survived. Hence, they've been nick-named Parking Lot Cookies.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
winterfish
no subject
Date: 2009-01-11 02:03 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-11 02:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-11 02:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-11 02:53 am (UTC)I think this is the best choc chip cookie I have ever had. The various spices add a lot.
no subject
Date: 2009-01-11 04:05 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-11 03:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-11 03:10 am (UTC)I think I will have one now...
no subject
Date: 2009-01-11 03:54 am (UTC)I have hopes of baking gingerbread men tomorrow. A month late, but what the heck.
A
no subject
Date: 2009-01-11 04:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-11 04:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-11 04:19 pm (UTC)Chinese Gingersnaps
from "Pacific Flavors" by Hugh Carpenter
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Very spicy--the Tablespoon of pepper is not a typo!
1 cup unsalted butter, slightly softened
2 cups sugar
5 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely minced
2 eggs, well beaten
1/2 cup molasses
1 tablespoon white pepper
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
4 cups flour
Place butter and sugar in a food processor fitted with the steel knife. Cream until evenly combined, then add ginger, eggs, molasses, white pepper, and vinegar. Process to evenly combine, then add baking soda, cinnamon, and cloves. Process again to combine evenly.
Turn out into a mixing bowl. Work in flour, 1 cup at a time, until evenly mixed. Divide dough into 3 balls and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 3 hours.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. When dough is well-chilled, roll out onto a lightly floured board or pastry cloth into a 1/4-in. thick sheet. Cut into desired shapes. (Alternatively, roll into 1-in. balls and dip in granulated sugar if desired.)
Line a baking sheet with parchment; place cookies 1/2 in. apart and bake until firm but not dried out, about 15 min. Serve at room temperature. Will freeze indefinitely.
no subject
Date: 2009-01-11 04:34 am (UTC)Whimper.
no subject
Date: 2009-01-11 04:37 am (UTC)'course, the whole house smelled good as they baked.
no subject
Date: 2009-01-11 08:18 pm (UTC)These are great cookies. I've made Jay's cookies a number of times. In fact, I should make some more like today. The ginger and cinnamon really make these great.
We actually call these Parking Lot Cookies around here because our first enounter with the cookies was at a convention in Portland when Jay Lake got up early in the morning to bake these cookies, drove to the hotel, and container holding said cookies tumbled and spilled in the parking lot. I think only two cookies survived. Hence, they've been nick-named Parking Lot Cookies.
no subject
Date: 2009-01-11 11:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-12 03:31 am (UTC)Could I possibly trouble you for the recipe?
no subject
Date: 2009-01-12 04:04 am (UTC)