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In “Swann’s Way,” Marcel Proust’s first book of the seven-part “Remembrance of Things Past,” the author begins his musings prodded by the memory of the madeleine cookies his mother served to him as a boy and which he ate dipped in linden blossom tea. Now madeleines are lovely buttery shell-shaped morsels with a sensuous little tummy bump in the center, perfectly plain and perfectly delicious and they did, after all, inspire seven volumes of literature, but for pure cookie deliciousness.
Bill Colesberry’s gingersnaps rate higher in my book. These gingersnaps are chewy in the middle and crisp on the outer edges. They have just the right intensity of spice for adult tastes. The tops are crackly crisp and glisten with sugar. My husband who doesn’t care much for sweets just loves these cookies and isn’t a bit shy about snatching the last one on the plate.
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Bill Colesberry’s Gingersnaps
3/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. ginger
In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add egg and molasses and beat well. Add dry ingredients and mix until blended. Chill the dough
Roll into 1 1/4 inch balls and roll in granulated sugar. Place 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for about 9 minutes or until set and surface is cracked. For a special holiday cookie: Melt 6 oz. white chocolate with 1 T. shortening. Dip cookies halfway and scrape off excess. Place on waxed paper lined baking sheets until set (I prefer these cookies plain) For smaller cookies, form 1-inch balls. Makes about 3 dozen smaller cookies.
These gingersnaps are probably not going to be a big hit with children, so I am including a brownie recipe I probably made hundreds of times while my kids were growing up. It is nearly as simple as a mix, tastes really good and is easy enough for older kids to make themselves.
Really Easy and Good Brownies
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or raisins
Grease and line a 9 x 9 baking dish with waxed paper or buttered parchment paper. Melt chocolate and butter together in a glass bowl in the microwave until chocolate melts. Let cool for 10 minutes. Dump in other ingredients and stir until mixed. Bake at 325 for 35 minutes.
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