GINGER SNAPS

Glade jul (Happy Christmas) - Viggo Johansen, 1891

There is nothing kinder and warmer than Ruth Wakefield's Toll house tried and true recipes (1936) - from the dedication, intro, contents, to her elegant brief notes. So much so that I want to make it all.

However, following the instructions is more difficult than it seems because early 20th century American women had their own style of baking. The ingredients are the same as in English, German or French cookbooks and the quality guaranteed but the quantities are different. Perhaps ingredients like milk or eggs were rare because times were hard; perhaps Ruth Wakefield, a dietician by profession, wanted to introduce her readers to more frugal eating habits. Perhaps it was the beginning of a different approach to cooking, serving, and enjoying food. And though she claims her recipes were tried and true and I believe her 100%, I often need to adapt the ingredients and sometimes the method as well.

Today's post is dedicated to her recipe for Ginger snaps, which turned out really nice. This is a kind of molasses gingerbread you roll out thin and shape maybe with cookie cutters but I was rather hasty in making it and ended up with drop cookies instead. Whatever you do, keep the cookies thin.

"Ginger Snaps

Cream 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup sugar together. Add 1/2 cup molasses and 1/4 strong coffee. Mix and sift with 2 2/3 cups flour, 1tsp. ginger, 1tsp. soda. Let stand until flour swells. Roll quite thin and bake in 350o oven."

 

N o t e s

Add 1/3 cup flour if needed. If you warm the sugar, molasses and coffee like I did, preferably wait until the mixture is cool. Mix the flour, ginger and soda. Combine liquid and dry ingredients and roll out thin. Shape with cookie cutters, if liked. Bake in a moderate oven for about 20 minutes. Leave to cool on wire racks and store in a biscuit tin with parchment paper between layers.