Christmas cooking time!!

[RoyalDiva]

I have a question about making gingerbread, and figured that it would be nice to have a thread that addressed other cooking questions people might have about Christmas as well. Or even just to discuss Christmas cuisine!!

My question is for the gingerbread experts. I am going to make gingerbread, but I want to make it stronger, more gingery. I thought I could just double the ginger dose, but then someone said that would probably make it very bitter. Yikes. Any ideas on how I could make it stronger without ruining it?

 

[Evenstar]

hmmmm i've never made gingerbread before.....

you could try making an icing for it that has lots of ginger flavor.

or adding instead of doubling the ginger, add what the recipe says, plus half of that, so instead of 2X ginger, it's 1.5X ginger ( i hope that makes sense )

 

[HndsmCelt]

Add finely chopped candied ginger. Hint if you clean out your coffee grinder really well both before and after they save a lot of time in just these chores. I lkie my ginger snaps and ginger bread very spicy and typicaly add about 2 tbs. My ex wife demaded I back down to 1 tbs for public consumption. This is based on a standard cookie batch of about a dozen big cookies (who makes thos stupid littel ones?) or two loafs of bread.

 

[RoyalDiva]

Add finely chopped candied ginger. Hint if you clean out your coffee grinder really well both before and after they save a lot of time in just these chores. I lkie my ginger snaps and ginger bread very spicy and typicaly add about 2 tbs. My ex wife demaded I back down to 1 tbs for public consumption. This is based on a standard cookie batch of about a dozen big cookies (who makes thos stupid littel ones?) or two loafs of bread.

Where does one find candied ginger? Or are you just talking about regular ginger? I loooove spicy ginger foods, it's the only spicy food I like. Who cares about public consumption?!

 

[HndsmCelt]

Candided ginger is avalialable in lots of grocery store (high end helps) and I have see it at Cost pluss on occasion. It is pieces of ginger root cooked down with sugar. Never tried to make it my self usualy buy it at Whole Foods or a little local joint called Sierra Nut House... Might try Hickory Farms or any place that selles dried fruit and nuts. Good luck

 

[HndsmCelt]

For what it's worth here is a recipe, but I think it explains why I just buy candied ginger.

Crystallized Candied Ginger
---------------------------

2 C fresh ginger, peeled and sliced or chopped in about 1/4" pieces
Salt
4 C water
1 C sugar, plus extra for dipping

Put ginger in a small saucepan and add cold water to cover. Add a pinch of salt
and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Then drain the
ginger, rinse it under cold water, and drain it again. Repeat this process three
more times. (That's what the book says!)

After three boil-rinse cycles, return ginger to saucepan, then add 4 C water and
1 C sugar. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer slowly till syrup is
thick, about 1 1/4 hours.

Layer a cookie sheet with sugar to about 1/4 inch and lift out the slices of
ginger with a slotted spoon. Roll them around in the sugar to coat them well,
then transfer to wire racks to cool and dry completely. If stored airtight, the
ginger will keep for several months.


Source: