Cherry Ginger Hermit Bars Recipes

SPICY HERMIT BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
• Place the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, add the egg, scrape down the bowl, then mix in the molasses.
• Sift together the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing just until combined. Mix in the raisins and crystallized ginger. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Turn the dough out onto a very lightly floured board, form it into a disk with lightly floured hands, and cut it in half. Roll each half into a log 12 inches long and place them 3 inches apart on the prepared sheet pan. Bake for 20 minutes; the logs will still be soft in the center.
• Meanwhile, whisk the confectioners' sugar with 5 to 6 teaspoons rum to make a pourable glaze. While the logs are still warm, drizzle the glaze back and forth across the logs with a teaspoon and sprinkle them with the lemon zest. Allow to cool. Cut each log crosswise into 1 1/2-inch-wide bars.

HERMIT BARS WITH BROWN-SUGAR ICING AND CANDIED GINGER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 10-by-15-inch baking pan, and line the bottom with parchment paper. Butter the parchment, and set pan aside. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium speed until smooth. Add sugar; beat until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, yolk, and molasses.
• Add flour mixture; beat on low speed until combined. Add 1/2 cup candied ginger and the raisins; beat until combined.
• Spread dough into the prepared pan in an even layer, and bake until firm to the touch, 18 to 22 minutes, rotating pan halfway through. Remove from oven; let cool completely in pan before icing.
• Drizzle with icing, and then sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup candied ginger. Let stand until icing has set, about 15 minutes. Serve cut into squares.