I have a recipe for Gingerbread that includes black pepper. I have
never attempted gingerbread before - does pepper really add a
*palatable* dimension to the flavor? It sounds intriguing, but
frankly, I'm scared.

-L.

There is nothing to fear....boldness in ideas is the mother of all
inventions...?
You have to try it...!
In the past...... in my experimental cakes and cookie formulation.... I
added five spice powder,black pepper and szechuan pepper.. ..and the
taste good to me and other evaluators!

"-L." > wrote:

>I have a recipe for Gingerbread that includes black pepper. I have
>never attempted gingerbread before - does pepper really add a
>*palatable* dimension to the flavor?

Yes. (Unless you absolutely detest pepper.) I find that gingerbread
doesn't taste 'right' without the black pepper. With all of the other
flavors in the gingerbread, the pepper adds a note of sharp spice to
balance the sweeter spices. My ggg-gramma's fruitcake recipe calls
for black pepper.

Have you ever had (proper) pepparkakor or pfefferneusse? Both of
those have pepper in them. I have a very good recipe for chocolate
cookies that can be made with either cayenne or black pepper. Many
spiced cookies with European sources have black pepper in them.


--
Jenn Ridley :

-L. wrote:
> I have a recipe for Gingerbread that includes black pepper. I have
> never attempted gingerbread before - does pepper really add a
> *palatable* dimension to the flavor? It sounds intriguing, but
> frankly, I'm scared.

Don't be. It's only a batch of gingerbread, not world peace. If you
don't like it, the birds will. They don't sense "hot" in foods and will
be particularly hungry this time of year.

Gingerbread goes back to medieval cookery where spicing was generally
more emphatic than it is today. Through the passing eras, gingerbread
has had many things added and subtracted, pepper is one of the perennial
ingredients. The pepper adds a tiny bite, but the ginger adds more. The
pepper adds a subtle perfume, a good food smell.

Note the name, gingerBREAD - the original recipe. It has come to be two
distinctly different things nowadays. It's a hard, crisp cookie and a
caky, almost bready, sweetened and spiced quickbread. Either benefits
from a bit of pepper.

Pastorio

On Tue, 21 Feb 2006, Jenn Ridley wrote:

> Have you ever had (proper) pepparkakor or pfefferneusse? Both of
> those have pepper in them. I have a very good recipe for chocolate
> cookies that can be made with either cayenne or black pepper.
> --
> Jenn Ridley :

The spicy chocolate cookies sound wonderful! Could you share the recipe?

Dave

Bob (this one) wrote:
>
> Don't be. It's only a batch of gingerbread, not world peace. If you
> don't like it, the birds will. They don't sense "hot" in foods and will
> be particularly hungry this time of year.
>
> Gingerbread goes back to medieval cookery where spicing was generally
> more emphatic than it is today. Through the passing eras, gingerbread
> has had many things added and subtracted, pepper is one of the perennial
> ingredients. The pepper adds a tiny bite, but the ginger adds more. The
> pepper adds a subtle perfume, a good food smell.
>
> Note the name, gingerBREAD - the original recipe. It has come to be two
> distinctly different things nowadays. It's a hard, crisp cookie and a
> caky, almost bready, sweetened and spiced quickbread. Either benefits
> from a bit of pepper.
>
> Pastorio

Thanks to all who replied! I will keep it in.
-L.

Dave Bell > wrote:

>On Tue, 21 Feb 2006, Jenn Ridley wrote:
>
>> Have you ever had (proper) pepparkakor or pfefferneusse? Both of
>> those have pepper in them. I have a very good recipe for chocolate
>> cookies that can be made with either cayenne or black pepper.
>
>The spicy chocolate cookies sound wonderful! Could you share the recipe?

It's off a can of Ghiradelli ground chocolate

Chocolate Pepper Snaps
1 cup Ghirardelli Sweet Ground Chocolate
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup butter or margarine (softened)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 cup sugar (or less if desired)
1 large egg

Sift together the Ghirardelli Ground Chocolate, flour, salt, and
baking powder. Cream butter with vanilla and spices; add sugar and
egg. Beat until light and fluffy. Slowly add sifted ingredients to
creamed mixture. Shape into 1-inch balls and flatten each one with a
fork or press an almond, pecan, or chocolate chip into the top. If
desired, you may even use a cookie press. Bake on ungreased baking
sheet at 375 degrees F for 10-12 minutes. Makes 3 dozen cookies.

(Ghiradelli ground chocolate is half cocoa, half sugar, so you can
substitute 1/2C cocoa and 1/2 c white sugar if you can't find the
ground chocolate. Put the cocoa in with the flour and the sugar in
with the other sugar.

I find that 375F is a bit hot in my oven, and bake them at 350F.

You can use cayenne pepper rather than black pepper if you want a
little more kick.)


I have friends who request these in their cookie boxes.... These go
really well with gingersnaps.
--
Jenn Ridley :

On Fri, 24 Feb 2006, Jenn Ridley wrote:

> >The spicy chocolate cookies sound wonderful! Could you share the
> >recipe?
>
> It's off a can of Ghiradelli ground chocolate
>
> Chocolate Pepper Snaps

Thanks, Jenn - I think I'm going to love these...

Dave

Jenn Ridley wrote:

>>The spicy chocolate cookies sound wonderful! Could you share the recipe?
>
> It's off a can of Ghiradelli ground chocolate
>
> Chocolate Pepper Snaps

> --
> Jenn Ridley :

These were *very* good!
I agree, part (or all) cayenne would be a nice kicker...
Thanks!

Dave

On Sat 25 Feb 2006 06:41:41p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Dave Bell?

> Jenn Ridley wrote:
>
>>>The spicy chocolate cookies sound wonderful! Could you share the recipe?
>>
>> It's off a can of Ghiradelli ground chocolate
>>
>> Chocolate Pepper Snaps
>
>> --
>> Jenn Ridley :
>
> These were *very* good!
> I agree, part (or all) cayenne would be a nice kicker...
> Thanks!

hehehe! All cayenne would probably be an ass kicker!

I always thought I liked hot seasoned food, but I tried a recipe that
called for 1 teaspoon of cayenne, it just about blew my head off. <g>

--
Wayne Boatwright o¿o
____________________

BIOYA