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Ginger snaps! One pound of butter, one of sugar, one pint of molasses, one teacup of ginger, three teaspoons of pearlash, flour enough to make a stiff dough, spice to your taste.
This is the recipe for Hard Gingerbread in The Cook Not Mad; Or, Rational Cookery, an American cookbook reprinted in Kingston, Upper Canada, in 1831. Although essentially stolen – and the author remains a mystery – it’s widely regarded as Canada’s first cookbook. When Fort York’s cooks began working on a modern version of this recipe, they first tried it, as directed, with a teacup (¾ cup or 185 mL) of ground ginger. To this they added other spices that were historically accurate – cinnamon, nutmeg, Jamaica pepper (allspice), mace, cloves, anise, caraway and black pepper. That gingerbread was snappy indeed! The simpler blend of spices in this modern version, which has been sampled by thousands of visitors to the fort, involves less ginger as well. Its finer balance has proven to be a lasting crowd-pleaser. Our modern version will make about 90 two-inch cookies. But the original recipe makes twice as much dough, and that’s an ideal amount for bigger projects like gingerbread houses, Christmas decorations and manic cookie parties. To make that much gingerbread, double the amount of each modern ingredient. 1 cup (250 mL) unsalted butter, softened 1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar 1 cup (250 mL) fancy molasses 4 cups (1 L) all-purpose flour 2 Tbsp (30 mL) ground ginger 1 tsp (5 ml) ground allspice 1 tsp (5 ml) ground cinnamon 1 tsp (5 ml) grated nutmeg 1 tsp (5 ml) baking soda (replaces pearlash)
• Line two rimless baking sheets with parchment paper, or lightly grease. • In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the molasses until smooth. • In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg and baking soda. • Stir into the molasses mixture one cup at a time. Press the dough together, kneading gently a few times until smooth. Divide in half. • (Make-ahead: Form each half of the dough into a disc, wrap separately and chill until firm, about an hour. Later, let it soften slightly at room temperature before rolling.) • Roll out the dough, one disc at a time, on a well-floured work surface to a thickness of only 1/8 of an inch (3 mm).
Ginger snaps!
From Setting a Fine Table: Historical Desserts and Drinks from the Officers’ Kitchens at Fort York (Whitecap 2013), available in the Canteen or wherever fine cookbooks are sold.
These cookies cut into modern maple leaves are a proven crowd-pleaser. Photo by Melissa Beynon • Cut into shapes and arrange about an inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Form the scraps into a disc and reroll for more cookies. 350oF (180oC) • Bake in the centre of a oven until slightly darkened on the bottom and firm to a light touch (that is, about 10 to 12 minutes.) • Let them firm up on the baking sheets for 3 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.
Original printed pages
