JIM WOLF, CITY OF BURNABY HERITAGE PLANNER
Chewy chocolate gingerbread cookies
My memories of Christmas growing up in Burnaby are tied to my family's German heritage. We were always the last family on the block to put up our tree, which needed to be fresh on Christmas Eve.
The old Middlegate Mall at Edmonds was the place to shop and find the best tree. It was here in the crisp night air that we would search for the best tree at the stand run by the Burnaby Scouts. It occupied a corner of the huge parking lot and was lit up with lights and filled with huge natural Douglas firs, which worked best to hang all of our old glass ornaments.
After securing the tree to the roof of the car, the next stop was the delicatessen to buy the most delicious traditional breads and meats. My Oma (German for grandmother) made the best gingerbread cookies. Even better was getting to help and lick the spoons of batter.
I still carry on some of the old traditions with my family. Decorating a fresh tree with glass ornaments is mandatory; and making cookies with my wife and son Griffin is now my favorite part of the holiday. This recipe for chewy chocolate gingerbread cookies is really worth the effort and is part of our family's Christmas tradition:
(Makes two dozen cookies)
Ingredients:
Seven ounces best-quality semi-sweet chocolate
1 1/2 cups, plus one tablespoon, allpurpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger One teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg One tablespoon cocoa powder Eight tablespoons (one stick) unsalted butter
One tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1/2 cup dark-brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
One teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons boiling water
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Directions:
Line two baking sheets with parchment. Chop chocolate into quarter-inch chunks; set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and cocoa.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter and grated ginger until whitened, about four minutes. Add brown sugar; beat until combined. Add molasses; beat until combined.
In a small bowl, dissolve baking soda in boiling water. Beat half of flour mixture into butter mixture. Beat in baking-soda mixture, then remaining half of flour mixture. Mix in chocolate chunks; turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap.
Pat dough out to about one inch thick; seal with wrap; and refrigerate until firm (about two hours or more).
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Roll dough into 1-1/2 inch balls; place two inches apart on baking sheets. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Roll in granulated sugar.
Bake until the surfaces crack slightly, 13 to 15 minutes.
Let cool five minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
