Time to make some sugar. ;)

A and K are coming over Saturday morning to bake holiday cookies! They both adore Theodore and want to try out these recipes, so we thought it was a win for everyone.

A twist on ginger cookies. I hope that they're stunning. Ginger molasses cookies are my favorite, so I'm excited to try a new version.

Burnt Sugar Ginger Cookies

Ingredients:

~Burnt Sugar Ginger~

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon peeled, freshly grated ginger root (remove with spoon from a 1 1/2-to-2-inch piece)
  ~Cookies~
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, unsalted, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 2/3 cup molasses, unsulphured
• 1 tablespoon peeled, freshly grated ginger root
• 3 cups flour
• 1 1/2 cups bread flour
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon cloves
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup sparkling or sanding sugar (may substitute Demerara sugar)

Directions

~Burnt Sugar Ginger~

1. Grease a rimmed baking sheet with cooking oil spray.
2. Pour 1 c sugar into a small, heavy saucepan (off the heat). Add 1 T fresh ginger and work it into the sugar with your fingers.
3. Melt the mixture over medium-high heat, without stirring, for about 8 minutes until it is a dark golden brown. Watch closely to make sure it does not burn, reducing the heat as needed. Pour it onto the baking sheet, quickly spreading it evenly. Let it sit for about 10 minutes, or until it hardens and cools completely. Then turn it out onto a cutting board and break it up into 1/2-inch pieces.
   ~Cookies~
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a few baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
5. Combine 1 c butter, 1 1/2 c sugar, and 1/2 c brown sugar in the bowl until quite fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until fully blended before adding the next. Scrape down the bowl.
6. Add 2/3 c molasses and 1 T fresh ginger until thoroughly incorporated.
7. In a separate bowl whisk together 3 c flour, 1 1/2 c bread flour, 1 T ginger, 1 T baking soda, 2 t cinnamon, 1 t cloves, and 1 t salt, then add to the butter molasses mixture, stirring until mostly combined with a few streaks of flour. The dough will be quite thick. Add the burnt sugar ginger shards, stirring until evenly distributed. No streaks of flour should remain.
8. Place 1/2 c sparkling or sanding sugar in a medium bowl. Roll 2-tablespoon portions of dough into balls, then roll each one in the sugar, placing them 2 inches apart on the baking sheets as you work. Bake (middle rack) one sheet at a time, for 13 minutes. Let the cookies cool completely on the sheet before serving or storing.

A really wanted to try out these almond bars, so we're having a go at them as well.

Almond Ricotta Bars

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, unsalted, room temperature
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons almond extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 15 ounces whole-milk ricotta cheese
  ~Icing~
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, unsalted, room temperature
• 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 cup sliced, skin-on almonds, toasted (see NOTE)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Use butter to grease the bottom and sides of a 13x18 inch (standard size) rimmed baking sheet, then line it with parchment paper.
2. Whisk or sift together 2 1/2 c flour, 1 T baking powder, and 1 t salt in a bowl.
3. Beat 1 c butter in bowl until creamy. Add 2 c sugar; beat until lightened and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until thoroughly combined. Add 2 t almond extract and 1 t vanilla and beat just until well blended.
4. (At low speed;) Add the 15 oz ricotta in 5 oz increments, mixing each time until incorporated. Gradually add the flour mixture to form a soft dough. Spread in the baking sheet; bake (middle rack) for about 35 minutes, or until set, lightly golden and the edges are starting to pull away from the sides. Transfer to a wire rack to cool (in the pan) completely.
   ~Icing~
5. Combine 1/2 c butter and 4 oz cream cheese in the bowl until light and fluffy. Add 3 c confectioners' sugar and 1 t almond extract, beating to form a smooth, creamy icing.
   ~Finishing~
6. Use the parchment underneath to slide the bar slab out of its baking sheet and onto a cutting board. Invert and discard the paper. Cut the slab into 48 bars of equal size, keeping them in place as much as possible. Spread the icing evenly over all the cut pieces, then top each with the toasted almonds. Re-score or cut all the bars, as needed, removing them from the slab arrangement as you work.
   NOTE: Toast the sliced almonds in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat for a few minutes until fragrant and lightly browned, shaking the pan to avoid scorching. Cool completely before using.

Think we can get all this done in two-ish hours?