Gingerbread Toasts

By Hklbrries

Lighter in color than most gingerbread, these cookies get extra zing from crystallized ginger. Try them with a cup of tea.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup finely-minced crystallized ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup blanched whole almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped
• 2 tsp milk
• Granulated sugar

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375 F. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, crystallized ginger, ground ginger and cinnamon. In a separate mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in vanilla and eggs. Stir in the flour mixture and almonds. Divide the dough in half and mold each half into a 12-by-2-inch strip on a foil-lined baking sheet. Smooth the surface of each strip. Brush each with milk; then sprinkle with sugar. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until light golden brown and firm to the touch. Remove from oven and reduce temperature to 300 F. Place the strips on a wire rack and cool 15 minutes.

Place the strips on a cutting board and use a serrated knife to cut each strip crosswise on the diagonal into 1/2-inch thick slices. Place the slices on the baking sheet and bake 10 minutes. Turn the slices over and bake 10 minutes more. Turn off the heat and allow the toasts to cool in the oven, leaving the door slightly ajar.