Earlier this year, culinary historian Lavada Nahon presented her gorgeous gingerbread recipe to the Dyckman Farmhouse Museum, the last existing farmhouse in Manhattan! And I was there undercover to taste and enjoy.
Recently, I tried my hand at this recipe originally seen in The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy, a book by Mrs. H. Glasse, published 1745 and 1796.
The first time I made them, they oozed out across the cookie sheets.
This second time, I discovered I need to chill the dough for more than an hour. Seems that pouring warm molasses and heavy cream into the butter and flour mixture melts the butter, a no no.
I have no idea what people in the 1700s did during this phase. Perhaps they just let the mixture sit for a moment in their freezing cold homes.
For more information, go to lavadanahon.com.
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