Recipe - Gingerbread Cookie Dough

2 Three fourths cup Flour
1 teaspoon Ground ginger
Three fourths teaspoon Baking soda
One half teaspoon Ground cinnamon
One half teaspoon Ground cloves
One fourth cup Solid vegetable shortening,
room temperature
One fourth cup Unsalted butter, room
temperature
One half cup Sugar
One half cup Light molasses (unsulfured)
1 lg Egg

Sift flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon and cloves into a medium bowl.
Using an electric mixer, beat shortening and butter in a large bowl until
light. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Beat in molasses, then egg. Add dry
ingredients. Using a spoon, stir until mixture forms dough (dough will be
very soft). Divide dough into thirds. Gather each third into a ball;
flatten into disks. Wrap each disk in plastic and refrigerate until firm,
about 4 hours. Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.

Preheat oven to 350. Generously flour work surface and rolling pin. Place 1
dough disk on work surface (keep remaining dough refrigerated). Press
rolling pin into dough serveral times to flatten slightly for easier
rolling. Roll out dough to 1/8" to 1/4" thickness, frequently lifting and
turning dough to prevent sticking. Use cookie cutters dipped in flour.
Transfer cookies to an ungreased nonstick baking sheet, spacing 1/2" apart.
Bake cookies for about 15 minutes or until done. Let cookies stand on sheet
for one minute before removing with a metal spatula. Transfer to racks to
cool completely.

Continue as above with 2 other disks. Reserve scraps all together and
combine. Flatten into a disk. Wrap with plastic and freeze for about 30
minutes or until firm. Repeat as above.

Decorate with Powdered Sugar Icing (See Citrus Sugar Cookie Recipe).
Posted to FOODWINE Digest 13 Dec 96

Recipe by: Laura Hunter

From: Laura Hunter LHunter722@AOL.COM

Date: Fri, 13 Dec 1996 15:19:34 0500