Grandma Brown's Gingerbread

About ten or so years ago, I was digging through that drawer in my kitchen. You know that drawer. The one that holds maybe three things you use occasionally, but mostly holds a bunch of stuff that doesn't belong anywhere else: kitchen gadgets that looked neat but don't work (but you can't throw away), recipes clipped from magazines, usually a few batteries of indeterminate strength... That drawer.

You know what I found in that drawer? My great-grandmother's gingerbread recipe.

The thing is, what I found, handwritten on a piece of scrap paper, was a list of ingredients. The sum total of the directions was, "Add eggs last." No indication of pan size. No indication of temperature. Nothing. Because Grandma Brown knew all that already, so she didn't bother to write it down.

The internet is a fabulous thing. I started searching for similar recipes to see what I could find. The one I found was on an Amish website (I know... I giggled hysterically about that, too), and it was almost identical to Grandma Brown's. So I used that as a guide, and set out to make some for Christmas. It was perfect! And ever since then, that is my gift to my family. Each batch makes either a 9x13-inch pan or two 9-inch round pans, so I do the two rounds on festive holiday plates. I usually add a decoration as well, or sometimes I just put a bow on the Saran wrap.

This is Grandma Brown's Gingerbread, and it's an amazingly easy, amazingly tasty creation. I never got to meet her, but I like to think she's smiling at me every year as I pass it on. Several friends have adopted it as their tradition as well, and I think that's neat.

You know how I always say I mostly use whatever brand of ingredient is available? I do have some exceptions. The only molasses that tastes the way I want it to is Grandma's, the Robust style. I've tried others, and I even bought organic molasses one year (at twice the price!), but they just aren't right. Everything else is pretty basic, as this is the cake-type gingerbread as opposed to the kind for making cut-out men or houses. Flour, sugar, shortening, leaveners, eggs, and spices.

After I took this picture I noticed I put the vanilla in there. I don't know why. There is no vanilla in this recipe. I blame the fact that I was in Holiday Baking Extravaganza mode and my head was spinning. You'll have that.

First step is to cream the shortening and sugar together. I use butter flavour Crisco, but you don't have to. Grandma used lard, so there's that. When we get to the next step you're going to wonder why you have to bother, and I'm sure there's some science-y reason why, but it doesn't work if you don't cream them together before going on.

I wrote to combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl, but I never do. I just use my 4-cup measuring cup and go on with my life. Makes less dishes! The bowl on the right is after I melted the shortening with boiling water and stirred in the molasses. Trust me, I've tried to just pour boiling water over the shortening and sugar without mixing them first, and it doesn't work. Maybe it's just me, but it only takes about a minute to cream them together so I just do it.

Gradually stir the flour mixture into the liquid. It is definitely liquid, and definitely runny. Remember I said this is the cake type of gingerbread? The batter is runny like cake batter, go figure.

Ah yes... "Add eggs last". Two well-beaten eggs take about 30-45 seconds to mix into the batter, and I honestly have no clue whatsoever why you have to add them last. Grandma said so, that's why!

Here's where you have options. Two round pans as you see above, or one big oblong pan as you see below. I suppose you could also use square pans instead of round, but square gingerbread sits on a plate funny so I don't.

From there, it's into the oven for about 20 minutes. Often, 20 minutes is perfect. Sometimes you need to go as many as 35 in order for the center to be done. I have no idea why. I made three batches this year (two in rounds and one in an oblong), and all three were done at different times. I think maybe my oven is possessed. Test with a toothpick starting at 20 minutes and you'll be just fine.

Oh! I almost forgot! The directions say to grease a pan, then put a piece of waxed paper in the bottom. That does work, and is pretty necessary... Unless you use Pam for Baking. The last few years I've been spraying my pans with Pam for Baking, and the gingerbread practically leaps out of it, no sticking whatsoever. I'm even able to wipe out a pan with paper towel, spray it again, and use it for another batch without any issues. If you're anti-Pam (and some folks are), then you'll definitely want to use the waxed paper. I meant to make one batch that way so I could get pictures and I completely forgot, sorry!

This year they also didn't come out smooth on top. I have no idea why. Whatever... My family isn't picky about things being pretty, they just want good food. And I chose to put bows on top this year so they won't know until they get it home anyway.

The 9x13-inch pan gets cut up into small squares and included on my regular trays of holiday goodies. I started doing that a few years ago, because it occurred to me that my family got to have gingerbread and I did not. That doesn't work for me at all.

You know how this is the very best way possible? Warm from the oven, served with a huge dollop of real whipped cream. The kind you beat, not the spray can (although the spray can is better than Cool Whip). Not that it isn't good any other time, but that right there is nirvana for your taste buds.

Grandma Brown's Gingerbread

Serves 18

1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup molasses
1 cup boiling water
2 large eggs

Step 1
Grease well either a 9x13-inch baking pan or two 9-inch round or square pans, then cut a piece of waxed or parchment paper to fit the bottom of the pan and press it down; preheat oven to 350F.

Step 2
Cream shortening and sugar together; in a separate bowl combine dry ingredients.

Step 3
Add molasses and boiling water to the shortening mixture; stir until shortening dissolves.

Step 4
Gradually add dry mixture to liquid, stirring well between each addition.

Step 5
Beat eggs well; add into mixture last.

Step 6
Pour batter into prepared pan(s) and bake at 350F for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (it can take as long as 35 minutes, depending on your oven).

Step 7
Let cool in pan(s) 10 minutes; then invert onto a plate. Remove waxed paper from the bottom and invert again onto a cooling rack.

Serving Size: 1 (61.2 g)

Calories 184.8

Total Fat - 6.8 g

Saturated Fat - 1.3 g

Cholesterol - 23.1 mg

Sodium - 173.3 mg

Total Carbohydrate - 29.3 g

Dietary Fiber - 0.6 g

Sugars - 18.2 g

Protein - 2.2 g

I mentioned I do multiple batches, but what I don't do is double or triple the batter. I make three separate batches, baking and cooling three times. I tried to double it once and it was an unmitigated disaster. Again with the science I don't understand, but some recipes simply cannot be doubled if you want them to work.