Thursday, September 13, 2018

Benjamin Franklin's Gingerbread (1770)

  • 1-3/4 cups flour
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tbspn ground ginger
  • 1/3 cup molasses
  • 2 tbspns butter
  • 1/2 tspn freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/4 tspn grated cloves
  • 1/2 tspn ground mace
  • 1/4 tspn baking soda (optional)
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease baking sheet or line with parchment paper.

In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, spices, and baking soda if using for extra leavening.  In a small saucepan,  heat the molasses and butter, stirring until the butter is melted. 

Stir this mixture into the dry ingredients. Knead until smooth. You may need to add a teaspoon or so of water or more flour. 

Divide the dough into 8 balls. Pat each one into a 4-inch disk, about 1/2-inch thick. Place the disks on the prepared baking sheet. Score each disk into 6 wedges by cutting halfway through from the top with a sharp knife. Bake until firm and lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Makes 4 dozen wedges.

"The strong flavor of the spices is mellowed by the sweetness of the molasses."

More "Lost" Historic Recipes
White House Peach Fritters (1887)
Martha Washington's Nutmeg Custard Pie (1770)
Thomas Jefferson's Macaroni and Cheese (1802)

(Origin - "Stirring the Pot with Benjamin Franklin - A Founding Father's Culinary Adventures" by Rae Katherine Eighmey, published by Smithsonian Books, 2018.)

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