Ginger Almonds By Alton Brown Recipes

GINGER ALMONDS BY ALTON BROWN

Steps:

• 1. Heat the oven to 250 degrees F.
• 2. Combine the ginger and salt in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
• 3. Chop up the arbol chile until most pieces are around 1/8". I usually use dried chile.
• 4.Heat the olive oil and sesame oil in a medium-large saute pan over medium-low heat. Add the arbol chile and cook, stirring frequently, until the chile begins to give off an aroma, 30 to 45 seconds.
• 5. Add the almonds and cook, stirring frequently until lightly toasted, approximately 5 minutes.
• 6. Add the soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce and cook until reduced slightly and the pan looks dry, approximately 1 minute.
• 7. Immediately remove the nuts to the large bowl and toss with the ginger mixture.
• 8. Spread the coated nuts into a single layer on a half sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the pan to a cooling rack for at least 30 minutes or until completely cool.
• 9. Keep dry in a sealed container and it'll easily last a few weeks, that is if it hasn't been eaten long before.

CANDIED GINGER(ALTON BROWN)

Steps:

• Spray a cooling rack with nonstick spray and set it in a half sheet pan lined with parchment.
• Peel the ginger root(use the back of a spoon, it gets into all the grooves) and slice into 1/8-inch thick slices using a mandoline. Place into a 4-quart saucepan with the water and set over medium-high heat. Cover and cook for 35 minutes or until the ginger is tender.
• Transfer the ginger to a colander to drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Weigh the ginger and measure out an equal amount of sugar. Return the ginger and 1/4 cup water to the pan and add the sugar. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar syrup looks dry, has almost evaporated and begins to recrystallize, approximately 20-40 minutes. Make sure you continously stir. It may feel like you've been stirring the ginger forever, but when it starts to crystallize, it will happen very quickly.
• Transfer the ginger immediately to the cooling rack and spread to separate the individual pieces. Once completely cool, store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Save the sugar that drops beneath the cooling rack and use to top ginger snaps, sprinkled over ice cream or to sweeten coffee.
• Any liquid can be used to flavor tea or used for hot tea. Some people said they had to cook it longer. It's worth every minute. :).

OVERNIGHT CITRUS GINGER RING

Steps:

• For the dough: in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg yolks, whole egg, sugar, butter, and buttermilk. Add approximately 2 cups of the flour along with the yeast and salt; whisk until moistened and combined. Remove the whisk attachment and replace with a dough hook. Add all but 3/4 cup of the remaining flour and knead on low speed for 5 minutes. Check the consistency of the dough and add more flour if necessary; the dough should feel soft and moist but not sticky. Knead on low speed 5 minutes more or until the dough clears the sides of the bowl. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface; knead by hand about 30 seconds. Lightly oil a large bowl. Transfer the dough to the bowl, lightly oil the top of the dough, cover and let double in volume, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
• For the filling, combine the 8 ounces of sugar, lemon zest, fresh ginger, the 2 tablespoons candied ginger and the 5 ounces flour in a medium bowl. Mix until well combined. Set aside until ready to use.
• Lightly grease a baking sheet and set aside. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 12 by 24-inch rectangle. Brush the 1-ounce of melted butter onto the dough and sprinkle the filling over the dough; press the filling lightly so it sticks to the dough. Beginning with the long edge nearest you, roll the dough into a tight cylinder. Brush the beaten egg along the edge for a secure seal. Firmly pinch the seam to seal and roll cylinder seam side down. Brush the 2 ends with a little of the beaten egg and bring together to shape into a ring and firmly press together. Place on the baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or up to 16 hours.
• Remove the ring from the refrigerator, remove the plastic wrap and snip the top with scissors every 2 inches. Place in an oven that is turned off. Fill a shallow pan 2/3 full of boiling water and set on the rack below the ring. Close the oven door and let the dough rise until the ring looks slightly puffy, approximately 30 minutes. Remove the ring and the shallow pan of water from the oven.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• When the oven is ready, place the ring on the middle rack and bake until golden brown, or until the internal temperature reaches 190 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, approximately 30 minutes.
• While the ring is baking, make the glaze by combining the jam, 1-ounce candied ginger, and the water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer. Stir and cook until the jam is melted and well mixed with the water, about 3 to 5 minutes. Continue to simmer until reduced and thickened slightly, about 3 to 5 minutes. Brush over the warm ring. Serve immediately.

CANDIED GINGER

Steps:

• Spray a cooling rack with nonstick spray and set it in a half sheet pan lined with parchment.
• Peel the ginger root and slice into 1/8-inch thick slices using a mandoline. Place into a 4-quart saucepan with the water and set over medium-high heat. Cover and cook for 35 minutes or until the ginger is tender.
• Transfer the ginger to a colander to drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Weigh the ginger and measure out an equal amount of sugar. Return the ginger and 1/4 cup water to the pan and add the sugar. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar syrup looks dry, has almost evaporated and begins to recrystallize, approximately 20 minutes. Transfer the ginger immediately to the cooling rack and spread to separate the individual pieces. Once completely cool, store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Save the sugar that drops beneath the cooling rack and use to top ginger snaps, sprinkled over ice cream or to sweeten coffee.

GINGER SNAPS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cardamom, clove and salt.
• Place the brown sugar and butter into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on low speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the molasses, egg and fresh ginger and beat on medium for 1 minute. Add the crystallized ginger and using a rubber spatula, stir to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until well combined.
• With a 2-teaspoon-sized scoop, drop the dough onto a parchment-lined half sheet pan approximately 2 inches apart. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 12 minutes for slightly chewy cookies or 15 minutes for more crisp cookies. Rotate the pan halfway through cooking.
• Remove from the oven, sprinkle with sanding sugar, if desired, and allow the cookies to stay on the sheet pan for 30 seconds before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with all of the dough. Store in an airtight container for up to 10 days. If desired, you may scoop and freeze the cookie dough on a sheet pan and once frozen, place in a resealable bag to store. Bake directly from the freezer as above.

GINGER-GLAZED ALMONDS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°F.
• Melt butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat. Add remaining ingredients except almonds and cook, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, then add almonds and stir until coated.
• Spread almonds in a lightly oiled shallow baking pan (1 inch deep)and bake, stirring occasionally, until insides of nuts are golden (cut 1 open to test), about 25 minutes. Cool completely.