Cast into the shade

I am feeling very mediocre cooking-wise at the moment. An impulsive foray into the world of macaroons resulted only in flat things that looked like dollshouse cowpats and refused to come away from the greaseproof paper.
In the same weekend, the Kitchen Accomplice made perfect double chocolate chip cookies, delectable raspberry sorbet and the most beautiful-looking pink grapefruit marmalade you can imagine (only you don't have to imagine, because here's a picture).
I console myself with the thought that at least I can do a mean roast meat, a feat that is out of her reach because she's a vegetarian.
At this moment, she is in the kitchen whipping up some more cookies. Yum, yum!

Ginger cookies for my colleagues

Some time ago, I was given a cookie jar for work. That is to say, I as a journalist was sent this cookie jar as a freebie. It contained some digestive biscuits, which I gave to my colleagues, and I have entirely forgotten who sent it.
Anyway, I keep it stocked with cookies of various sorts depending on whim.
At the moment, the popular vote seems to be for ginger cookies, made with ground ginger, fresh ginger and crystallised ginger (gingery!). I have just restocked the cookie jar with a mini-version of these, spiked with lemon oil, so they are just perfect for my boss, who is coming down with what sounds from the other side of the desk like a very bad cold.
Here's how to make them:

250g plain flour (I use wholewheat)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp star anise, finely ground
4 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt

50g unsalted butter
60ml black treacle
120g caster sugar, sifted
1 1/2 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 large egg, well beaten

150g crystallized ginger, finely minced
zest of 2 lemons

50g granulated sugar


Preheat the oven to 350F (180C, Gas mark 4). Line a couple of baking sheets with greaseproof paper and set aside.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, star anise, ground ginger, and salt.

Heat the butter in a small pan until it is just barely melted. Stir in the molasses, natural cane sugar, and fresh ginger. Or put it all into a bowl and microwave briefly until butter is almost melted.The mixture should be warm, but not hot at this point, if it is hot to touch let it cool a bit. Whisk in the egg. Now pour this over the flour mixture, add the crystallized ginger (make sure it isn't too clumpy), and lemon zest. Stir until just combined.

Roll the cookie dough into small balls (1 tsp of dough each is what I normally go for - for bite-sized cookies, halve that). Now roll each ball in the granulated sugar until coated. Place balls a few cm apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 7-10 minutes or until cookies puff up, darken a bit, get fragrant and crack.

Makes about 4 dozen or so.