do you keep a stash?
I am a second generation stasher
I have a gift cabinet
I have cookie dough
and
whole pies in the freezer
just in case
I would be mortified
if someone stopped by my house
and i had nothing to offer
instead i can say
oh--
perfect timing
i just put a pie in the oven
very june cleaver...don't you think?
come this time of year
we get invited to people's homes
and
can't go empty handed
but it's tricky
the hostess gift
you can't really show up with a sweater, silver-plate candlesticks or pearl earrings
so I usually give some sort of edible
and
I like to wrap it so it looks expensive
a little gift trompe l'oeil
wrapped in these neat parcels are biscotti
and here
is a simple recipe
for your last minute gift giving needs
2 3/4-3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
3 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
3/4 cup + 5tsp granulated sugar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 Tbs molasses
2 Tbs butter--melted and cooled
2 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
1 Tbs sugar + 1 tsp cinnamon mixed together
1 egg--gently whisked for glazing
Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, ginger, cinnamon and cloves. In a bowl whisk together the whole eggs with the granulated sugar, brown sugar, molasses, vanilla and butter. Stir in the dry ingredients and mix until it comes together. If it is too wet, add a bit of flour to your hands as you form the mixture into 2 logs of about 2" wide.
Place each log on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Brush the top of each log with the egg and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar on top.
Bake at 350 until it is puffed and firm to the touch
Remove from the oven and let cool
Once cooled, slice crosswise, reduce the oven to 325 and place cut side down on the cookie sheet. Return to oven and bake until dry but not brown.
you can eat as is
or
drizzle with dark chocolate
-
add bits of crystallized ginger to the dough before baking
-
dip into a big bowl of dulce de leche
while hiding from your cares
or
you can wrap them up
and give them away