Ginger-Cakes And Gingerbread

It is yearly growing more difficult to make these old-fashioned but delicious cakes satisfactorily, and the trouble lies, not in the recipes, but in the quality of molasses used. It is not many years since it was possible to purchase molasses that would impart a delightfully rich color and flavor to anything in which it was used. This difference is due to the fact that sugar was formerly made by a process which yielded the good, dark molasses as a regular product; while at present it is boiled in vacuum pans, so that the best quality of molasses is very scarce. The darkest molasses now comes from Porto Rico, but this has a disagreeable flavor to many. The next best is the New Orleans molasses, which is disappointingly light-colored, but of good flavor. Molasses may be tested by placing a small quantity of dissolved soda in a table-spoonful; if the molasses is good, it will foam up in a dark, rich color and emit a pleasant odor; but if it turns of a greenish shade and has an unpleasant smell, it will not prove satisfactory.

Ginger Cookies, No. I

One cupful of sugar. One cupful of butter. One cupful of molasses. One-third cupful of vinegar. Flour to thicken. One tea-spoonful of salt. One tea-spoonful of soda. One table-spoonful of ginger. One egg.

Rub the butter and sugar together, add the egg, well beaten, the salt and ginger, and stir all well together until smooth. Dissolve the soda in the vinegar, stir the vinegar into the molasses, and add the latter to the mixture. Beat all well together, and put in enough flour to admit of rolling out properly, taking care that no more flour is used than is necessary to prevent the cakes sticking to the board. Roll quite thin, cut the cookies out, and bake them in a quick oven. These cookies are very delicious and are especially prized by children.

Ginger Cookies, No. 2

Two cupfuls of molasses. One cupful of butter. One-half cupful of sugar. One tea-spoonful of ginger. One tea-spoonful of soda. One-half tea-spoonful of salt. One-half tea-cupful of cold water. Flour to thicken.

Place these ingredients together the same as in the preceding recipe, dissolving the soda in the cold water. Roll the dough thin, having added no more flour than will keep the dough from sticking to the board. Cut out and bake in a quick oven.

Ginger Cookies With Coffee

One cupful of molasses. One cupful of strong coffee. One cupful of brown sugar. One-half cupful of lard. One-half cupful of butter. One table-spoonful of ginger. One tea-spoonful of cinnamon. One tea-spoonful of soda. Three tea-spoonfuls of cold water. Flour to thicken.

Beat the butter and lard well together. Dissolve the soda in the water, and stir it into the molasses, which add to the butter and lard. Add the spice and coffee and sufficient flour to make a soft dough; roll the dough three-quarters of an inch thick, cut the cakes out, and bake them fifteen minutes in a rather quick oven.