Beth Cato's Blog, page 24

Bready or Not: Gingerbread Chocolate Chip Cookies

Let’s start the year right with these Gingerbread Chocolate Chip Cookies!

These things are soft and chewy, the coarse sugar providing a sweet, crunchy crust. Plus, you get chocolate mixed throughout, which provides a lovely contrast to the spicy gingerbread.

I’ve noticed that it’s a very British thing to do at least part of a gingerbread recipe on the stovetop. It definitely creates a different, richer flavor that the standard American recipe that mixes everything in a bowl.

You’ll notice this recipe includes a lot of fresh ginger. In the past, I’ve kept ‘fresh’ ginger around by buying a hunk, using a vegetable peeler to take off the outside, then freezing the interior in pieces. You can then grate it straight from the freezer. I think I learned about this technique from a food magazine ages ago.

The original of this recipe is from a food magazine, too–Bake from Scratch Holiday Cookies 2019, this recipe by Edd Kimber. My version is modified a great deal. I do recommend seeking out this issue, though, as it has a LOT of great recipes.

PrintBready or Not: Gingerbread Chocolate Chip CookiesThese cookies have complex ginger and spice flavors, perfect for the holidays and year-round! Note that the preparation is done in stages over a few hours–these aren’t quick fix cookies. Makes about 42 tablespoon-sized cookies.Course Dessert, SnackCuisine BritishKeyword chocolate, cookies, gingerbreadAuthor Beth CatoEquipmentlarge saucepantablespoon scoopparchment paperIngredients1 cup light brown sugar packed1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, softened1/2 cup unsulphured molasses2 large eggs room temperature4 cups all-purpose flour2 Tablespoons fresh ginger2 teaspoons baking soda1 teaspoon baking powder2 teaspoons ground cinnamon1 teaspoon ground ginger1/2 teaspoon kosher salt1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg10.5 ounces chocolate chips dark, semisweet, or a mix3/4 cup turbinado sugarInstructionsIn a large saucepan on medium-heat, stir together brown sugar, butter, and molasses until the butter is melted and everything is mixed. Remove from heat to cool for 30 minutes.Whisk eggs into the cooled mixture.In a big bowl, combined flour, fresh ginger, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ground ginger, salt, and nutmeg. Pour in the sugar from the saucepan, stirring until just combined. Fold in the chocolate.Encase dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.Pull out dough to soften slightly, about 10 or 15 minutes. Preheat oven at 375-degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.Measure out the turbinado sugar into a small bowl. Use a tablespoon scoop to dole our dough, rolling each ball in sugar before setting spaced-out on baking sheet.Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until cookies are set. Cool on pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.Store in an airtight container at room temperature. Cookies keep for at least 3 days.OM NOM NOM!

End of 2021 Publication Round-Up

2021 is finally at end. Surely 2022 must be better. Right? RIGHT?

The end of the year brought a flood of new publications. These have also been added to my complete Short Works Bibliography.

Short stories

“A Consideration of Trees,” Escape Pod (text as well as podcast)“Welcome Home,” Nature (Nov 17 2021)

Poetry

“The Bookstore,” NewMyths.com“Follow the Meandering Path,” Abyss & Apex Issue 80: 4th Quarter 2021 “Shapeshifting Isn’t Some Party Trick,” Daikaijuzine “The Eye of the Kraken,” Eye to the Telescope Issue 42: The Sea “Field Trip to See the Mermaid,” Mermaids Monthly “Demons,” Star*Line 44.4 Winter 2021

#SFWAPro

Bready or Not Original: Rum Bundt Cake

This Rum Bundt Cake is luscious–soft and moist, with rum baked-in and soaked-in. It’s perfect for an indulgent New Year’s Eve treat, or make it any time of year!

The most basic form of this recipe came to me on a postcard sent by my mother-in-law’s husband. He travels a lot, and sent me a card from the Virgin Islands that included a rum bundt cake recipe on the front.

The thing was, the recipe was squeezed into limited space and quite basic. The baking temperature was low and strange, too–no way was an enriched bundt cake baking at 300-degrees in 45 minutes.

So, I rewrote the recipe. I also added more rum. I used the return-to-pan soaking method I learned from Bake Off years ago to make sure this baby was really rummy. That liquid gold shouldn’t drip off. No, it needs to be used to bathe a cake.

The end result is fragrant with rum. The outside is crisp while the crumb is tender and moist without being soggy. It’s not a super-sweet cake, either, but it is definitely lush.

Modified greatly from a souvenir postcard.

PrintBready or Not Original: Rum Bundt CakeThis incredibly moist bundt cake has rum baked in and is bathed in it as well, creating a cake that is indulgent and delicious.Course DessertKeyword alcohol, bundt cake, cakeAuthor Beth CatoEquipmentlarge bundt panpastry brushchopstickIngredientsCake1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, room temperature2 cups white sugar6 large eggs room temperature2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon cinnamon2 teaspoons vanilla extractpinch salt1/4 cup rumRum soak:1/4 cup rum dividedconfectioners’ sugarInstructionsPreheat oven at 350-degrees. Heavily grease or use nonstick spray in a large bundt pan.In a mixer, blend together butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Follow up with the flour, cinnamon, vanilla, salt, and rum.Pour batter into pan. Bake for about 45 minutes, until the middle passes the toothpick test. Let cool for about 20 minutes, then invert cake onto a cooling rack. Don’t wash the pan!After the cake is completely cool, tip it back into the pan. Stab the top (the future base) all over with a chopstick or similar tool. Drizzle 2 Tablespoons of rum over the surface. Let it sit a few minutes. Invert the cake onto a plate. Again, stab the surface all over with something like a chopstick. Brush the remaining 2 Tablespoons rum over the top and sides, mopping up any droplets to brush on again. Let set a few minutes.Before serving, sprinkle on confectioners’ sugar. Slice and enjoy! Keep covered in fridge or at room temperature. Cake can be frozen in individual slices for later enjoyment, too.OM NOM NOM!

Bready or Not: Peppermint Bark Cookies

These incredible Peppermint Bark cookies really do taste like peppermint bark, but in chewy, beautiful cookie form!

These cookies even look holiday-colorful due to the bits of crushed candy cane throughout. I used a Hershey’s Chocolate Mint Candy Cane, but many varieties of candy cane would do. You could even mix it up with different colors and flavors!

I kept things easier by using chocolate chips, but this would be great with chopped chocolate, too, for different textures and flavors. Peppermint Bark itself comes in different variants, after all!

These cookies would be fantastic for a holiday cookie exchange, or to serve at a gathering. Or, if you’re cheap like me, bake them later on in January using candy canes scored on clearance!

Modified from Bake from Scratch Magazine Holiday Cookies 2019.

PrintBready or Not: Peppermint Bark CookiesThese cookies really do taste like peppermint bark, but in chewy cookie form! Recipe makes about 42 cookies using a tablespoon scoop.Course Dessert, SnackKeyword candy cane, chocolate, cookies, mintAuthor Beth CatoEquipmenttablespoon scoopparchment paperIngredients1 1/2 cups light brown sugar packed1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, melted1/2 cup white sugar2 large eggs room temperature1 teaspoon vanilla extract1 teaspoon peppermint extract3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon fine sea salt4 ounces white chocolate chips4 ounces dark chocolate chips4 peppermint candy canes crushedInstructionsIn a mixer, beat brown sugar, butter, and white sugar until combined. Add eggs one at a time followed by the extracts.In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and sea salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Fold in the two chocolates and candy cane bits. Cover top of dough with plastic wrap and chill it for 15 minutes.Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.Use a tablespoon scoop to parcel out dough, spaced out, on baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until cookies are set and just turning golden. Keep on sheet for a few minutes then transfer to a cooling rack.Store cookies in seal containers at room temperature. Keeps for at least 3 days.OM NOM NOM!

Bready or Not Original: No Bake Pecan Praline Cookies

Do you need cookies ready, FAST? These no-bake wonders are prepared in minutes and just need 15 minutes to set.

Traditional pecan pralines are crunchy and sweet. This no-bake cookie version definitely has all that going on, with added chewiness from coconut.

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I highly recommend using unsweetened coconut flakes or shreds here, as these cookies are not lacking at all in the sugariness department!

It’s amazing to me how something so goopy and hot can so quickly become set and easy to handle. This is the ultimate in fast-and-delicious cookies.

PrintBready or Not Original: No Bake Pecan Praline CookiesThese no-bake wonders are prepared in minutes and just need 15 minutes to set. No candy thermometer required! Each bite is crunchy, sweet, and oh so good! Makes about 35 tablespoon-sized cookies.Course Dessert, SnackKeyword coconut, cookies, no bake, pecansAuthor Beth CatoEquipmentlarge saucepancookie sheetwaxed papertablespoon scoopIngredients2 1/2 cups pecans chopped or whole2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes or coconut shreds2 1/2 cups white sugar1/2 cup milk1/2 cup light corn syrup1 stick unsalted butter 1/2 cup1 teaspoon vanilla extractInstructionsPrepare a large cookie sheet, or several sheets, with waxed paper. In a bowl, stir together the pecans and coconut.In a saucepan on medium-high heat, stir together the sugar, milk, corn syrup, and butter. Continue to stir while bringing the mixture to a rolling boil. Stabilize the heat so that it continues to boil for 3 minutes.Remove pot from heat. Pour in the vanilla. Follow up with the pecans and coconut, stirring well to coat everything in goopy hot sugar.Use a tablespoon scoop to dole out cookies on the waxed paper. If they fall apart a bit, carefully use a spoon or the scoop to shape them again. Let cookies set, at least 15 minutes. Carefully peel them away from the waxed paper; note that the first scoops may be more prone to stick.Store cookies in a sealed container.OM NOM NOM!

Giftmas 2021 Blog Train: Help Those in Need & Enjoy a Story, Too!

I’m taking part in Giftmas again this year, an annual effort coordinated by Rhonda Parrish for the benefit of the Edmonton Food Bank. I don’t need to state the reasons why helping food banks is more important right now than in past years. We need to help each other. We can’t connect in person, but we can connect with a few bucks that will help fill bellies and add warmth to the world through kindness. If you’re American like me, your dollars will deliver extra bang with each buck, too. $1 = 3 meals.

Please help.

This year, Giftmas is giving something extra to readers: a story: Eleven of us are participating in what is called an “exquisite corpse” story. One person begins, and each person adds another section in the sequence. There is no planning, no plot. The story zigs and zags with each new raconteur.

Begin with part 1, here.

Yesterday’s story segment was by Iseult Murphy. My contribution is below. The story will continue to grow and change over the next week! Keep reading, and please, donate.

Agnes certainly felt like a living person, her warmth muffled by her fuzzy woolen coat. “They said you headed off to the store, in a snow storm, to buy cheese. You were never found, but they thought…” Cherie’s stomach lurched with every incredible leap taken by the fox, snow crunching and squealing beneath his paws each time he landed.

“They,” scoffed Agnes. “The town police? It’s a wonder they can find a donut shop! At least I vanished for a noble cause. I did get that cheese, by the way, and it was far superior to anything found at that neon blight called Buy-It-Rite back on Earth.”

Right. She was most definitely not on Earth now. Cherie squinted her eyes shut as snow pattered her face. Septimus had landed in an especially deep bank. “Okay,” she said, spitting out some flakes. “You’re alive after all. Yay. You came through a fantasy portal for cheese. Yay to that, too. I might have come here more readily if I’d known that good cheese awaited me. But why do I have a bad feeling that those snowmen want to eat us?”

“You’re a smart girl, listening to your intuition,” said Agnes.

Septimus glanced back. “It helps when carnivores let it be known they are carnivores.” He flashed his own pointed teeth. They were icicles. “Now hold on!”

He advised such with a reason. Cherie’s frantic check showed the snowmen still trailed them all-too-closely, their rounded bottoms gliding over the snow. Cherie clutched Agnes impossibly tighter as Septimus sped up. Rather than lap, he plowed through the snow. Cherie grunted and held on as the world turned black with whiteness.

Then suddenly, they were through. His claws tapped on icy rocks as they climbed a slope–a slope to an incredible castle on high, its peaked towers threatening to puncture the very clouds.

“Oh.” The reaction escaped Cherie like a gasp.

“As you can see,” Agnes said with blatant smugness, “I have upgraded my domicile somewhat.”

“Lady A!” sang a voice from above. “You in a difficult spot today, love?”

Why did that voice sound familiar? Cherie craned up her head to see a pegasus. An honest-to-goodness flying horse with a shimmering white coat and faint gray dapples across the hindquarters. Broad wings flapped outward, fanning back Cherie’s hair as the pegasus dove low.

“Oh, it’s those snowmen again. They are always hungrier on colder–“

“Clover?” Cherie cried out. “Clover, is that you?”

Clover had been her so-called imaginary friend during her lonely, awful childhood. Together they had romped across field and fen and made everything into a grand adventure. Back then, Clover had been an awkward colt to match Cherie as an awkward girl.

He’d become the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

The pegasus’s hooves clattered as he landed beside them, keeping pace with Septimus’s continued run. “Cherie?” his voice cracked. “You’re real?“

“I’m real?” Cherie sounded almost hysterical to her own ears. She wanted to glare accusingly at Agnes but had to settle for giving her an additional squeeze.

“I can explain,” Agnes said airily.

As heavily as Septimus panted, he managed an incredulous cackle. “Oh, this should be good,” he said as they pounded across the long drawbridge to the castle gate.

To be continued… by Jemima Pett tomorrow!

Please donate to feed people in need.

Bready or Not: Peppermint Cheesecake Swirl Brownies

These Peppermint Cheesecake Swirl Brownies will dirty a lot of bowls and tools, but to gorgeous, delicious results.

These are an incredibly holiday-appropriate brownie. I colored the cheesecake layer in red, but really, you could do green, or even mix two small, separate bowls with green and red!

Then there’s the peppermint. It’s not overwhelming in this recipe; to me, it was mild and refreshing against the deep chocolate flavor.

I’m not a fan of cheesecake alone, but I do love that cheesecake flavor and texture when mixed with brownies or other great mix-ins. Be sure to check out some past Bready or Not recipes in the same family!

Snickerdoodle Cheesecake BarsCheesecake BrowniesCream Cheese-Stuffed Lemon Bundt CakeSwirled Goat Cheese BrowniesLemon Cheesecake BarsEarl Grey Cheesecake BarsMatcha Cheesecake CookiesMatcha Cheesecake Bars

Peppermint Cheesecake Swirl Brownies modified from the original recipe in Bake from Scratch Holiday Cookies 2019.

PrintBready or Not: Peppermint Cheesecake Swirl BrowniesThe Peppermint Cheesecake Swirl Brownies are festive for the holidays with their flavor and bright color, but are a delicious treat to make year-round!Course Dessert, SnackCuisine AmericanKeyword bars, brownies, cheese, cream cheese, mintAuthor Beth CatoIngredientsCream cheese swirl8 ounces cream cheese (one block) softened1/4 cup white sugar1 large egg room temperature1/2 teaspoon peppermint extractred gel food coloringBrownie layer4 ounces dark chocolate chips or chopped chocolate bar3/4 cup unsalted butter 1 1/2 sticks1 cup white sugar1/2 cup brown sugar light or dark, packed2 teaspoons vanilla extract1 teaspoon kosher salt3 large eggs room temperature1/2 cup all-purpose flour1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder siftedInstructionsBeat cream cheese until it is smooth and creamy. Add white sugar to fully incorporate. Mix in egg and peppermint extract. Stir in droplets of food color to reach desired tint. Set bowl aside.Prepare a 9×9 pan by lining it with foil and applying nonstick spray or butter to grease it. Preheat oven at 350-degrees.Using a microwave-safe bowl, in brief bursts heat the butter and dark chocolate, stirring well between each pass, until both are melted and smooth. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.In the large bowl of a stand mixer, use the whisk attachment to beat together both sugars, the vanilla, and salt. Add the eggs one at a time, and continue to beat at a high speed for 10 minutes. With the mixer on low, pour in the butter-chocolate. Use a spatula to fold in the flour and cocoa until just combined. Batter will be thick.Pour half the brownie batter into the prepared pan; use an offset spatula to even it out. Add about half the cheesecake mix in dollops. Repeat twice more, adding brownie and cheesecake in alternate dolloped layers. Use a butter knife to swirl everything together to create a marbled effect.Bake for about 45 minutes, until the middle passes the toothpick test. Cool to room temperature then cut into pieces.OM NOM NOM!

Bready or Not Original: Caramel Apple Pie

Bready or Not has featured many kinds of apple pie and cake over the years, but this is the recipe that I have made most often across my twenty years of marriage: Caramel Apple Pie.

I was shocked to realize I hadn’t featured it on Bready or Not since I started it on my domain site in 2014. I posted an earlier version on my LiveJournal, back in the day.

The base recipe came from Mr. Food. Who else remembers the Mr. Food spots on TV? He used to be on Channel 30’s midday news in Fresno. I was newly engaged when I saw him demonstrate this on his five-minute TV spot, and I mailed to the TV station with a SASE to get a print copy of the recipe.

The air date on the sheet is October 8th, 1999. I would have been watching the news from my dorm room at Fresno Pacific University!

I’m pretty sure I made this recipe for my fiancé when he came to visit me that Christmas (and we hoped that the Y2K Disaster would happen so he didn’t have to fly back to the Navy on January 1st).

It seems only right to feature this recipe at holiday time all these years later. I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m asked to make this again in just a few weeks!

Greatly modified from Caramel Crunch Apple Pie from Mr. Food (rest in peace, good chef).

PrintBready or Not Original: Caramel Apple PieA basic, delicious apple pie that is sure to be a family favorite! Use a good mix of baking apples, and then go as hardcore on the caramel as you want. The Dutch crumb-style topping is a beautiful and perfectly-crunchy crown for this pie.Course Breakfast, Dessert, SnackCuisine AmericanKeyword apple, pieAuthor Beth CatoIngredientsPie filling:1 deep-dish pie shell homemade dough or store-bought5 medium apples mix of varieties best, including Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, etc2 Tablespoons all-purpose flourTopping:2/3 cup all-purpose flour1/2 cup white sugar1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick, cold1 jar caramel drizzle as much as desired; most of the jar will be unusedInstructionsPreheat oven at 375-degrees; set a baking sheet in the oven to heat up as well (this will reduce the likelihood of a pie with a soggy bottom). Press the pie dough into a deep dish pie pan, if not already formed. Stash it in the fridge while the filling is being prepared.Peel and core apples and slice into thin wedges. Toss them with the 2 Tablespoons flour to coat. Set aside.In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, and cinnamon. Dice up the butter and toss it in the mix. Use a pastry cutter or a fork to mash up the butter to make pea-sized and smaller pieces of various shapes. Set bowl in fridge briefly, and bring out the pie shell.Pour the apple slices into the pie shell and distribute them to make a nice mound. Drizzle jarred caramel over the top, to personal preference. Use a spoon to distribute crumb topping to cover apples, using butter lumps and powder to fill the nooks and crannies.Set pie on hot baking sheet. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until apples are tender when pierced by fork. Cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting in.Store pie covered by foil in fridge. Will keep for as long as a week. Great eaten cold or warmed up!OM NOM NOM!

Bready or Not: White Chocolate Peppermint Bundt Cake

This White Chocolate Peppermint Bundt Cake features a light, refreshing peppermint flavor and a lot of white chocolate. Seriously, it’s a snow-capped mountain of a cake.

Don’t look for health food here. This thing is sweet. Lush. The middle is moist and dense, with a base (the former top) wonderfully crunchy in contrast.

White chocolate is melted into the batter, with chips also mixed in. See the golden dapples throughout the crumb? Those are the chips. They are like sweet explosions in the mouth.

And yes, there’s that snow cap: a thick blanket of melted-down chocolate wafers. It ends up firm, but ready to melt again once it meets the warmth of a mouth. It’s perfect along with that tender cake.

This will be great for any December gathering, but it’s so delicious, you’ll want to make it year-long!

PrintBready or Not: White Chocolate Peppermint Bundt CakeThis bundt cake is sweet and lush, laden with white chocolate inside and out! Make it look holiday-perfect by adding crushed peppermint on top, but really, enjoy it year-round. Good foods shouldn’t be confined to any one season!Course Dessert, SnackKeyword bundt cake, cake, chocolate, mint, sour creamAuthor Beth CatoEquipment10-cup bundt cakenonstick spray with flourmicrowave-safe bowlsIngredientsCake:3/4 cup unsalted butter 1 and a half sticks, softened1 1/2 cups white sugar3 large eggs room temperature2 teaspoons vanilla extract1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract3 cups all-purpose flour1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder1/2 teaspoon kosher salt1/2 cup half & half or milk8 ounces white chocolate chips divided1/2 cup sour creamTopping:8- ounces white chocolate melting wafers melted5 peppermint candies crushed, optionalInstructionsPreheat oven at 325-degrees. Apply nonstick spray with flour to coat the interior of the bundt pan.In a big bowl, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, followed by the extracts.In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the big bowl alternatively with the half & half, beating until they are just combined.In a microwave-safe bowl, heat 2 ounces of white chocolate chips in 30 second bursts, stirring well between each zap, until it’s melted and smooth; keep an eye on the white chocolate, as it can burn fast! Add the melted chocolate into the cake batter. Follow that with the sour cream and the remaining white chocolate chips. Pour batter into the prepared pan.Bake for about 1 hour 15 minutes; the middle should pass the toothpick test. If it’s getting overly brown near the end, cover the top with foil.Let cake cool in pan for 20 minutes, then upend onto a cooling rack. Cool completely, speeding process in fridge if desired.Melt chocolate wafers in microwave or on stovetop. Drizzle atop cake to form a thick snowcap. If desired, top with peppermints.OM NOM NOM!

Bready or Not: Pearl Sugar Ginger Cookies

Pearl Sugar Ginger Cookies! These beauties are holiday-perfect with their crackled gingerbread looks and a crusting of pearl sugar.

What is pearl sugar, you ask? Something awesome! It’s the kind of thing you see in Scandinavian bakeries, and through the miracle of the internet, you can now use it in home baking as well.

I highly recommend the stuff. Not only is it pretty, but it adds an texturally-pleasant crunch. That is especially nice with these cookies, as the actual cookie is quite chewy. The sugar granules make it into something extraordinary.

If you can’t find pearl sugar in nearby stores (I can’t), it is available on Amazon. I like the Lars’ brand. [affiliate link]

These cookies will keep for upwards of a week in a sealed container, making them perfect for holiday cookie trays and gift-giving.

Recipe modified from my favorite baking magazine, Bake from Scratch.

PrintBready or Not: Pearl Sugar Ginger CookiesThese luscious holiday-perfect cookies are chewy on the inside and also delightfully crunchy on the outside, thanks to grains of Swedish pearl sugar. These cookies are great for gift-giving as they will keep for days! Using a teaspoon scoop, this makes about 42 cookies. Modified from Bake from Scratch Magazine.Course Dessert, SnackKeyword cookies, gingerbread, swedish pearl sugarAuthor Beth CatoEquipmentparchment paperteaspoon scoopIngredients1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) room temperature3/4 cup white sugar1/4 cup light brown sugar packed1 medium lemon zested1/3 cup molasses not blackstrap1 large egg room temperature2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour2 teaspoons ground ginger1 teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon kosher salt3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom1/2 teaspoon ground cloves1 cup Swedish pearl sugarInstructionsPreheat oven to 350-degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.Beat together the butter, white sugar, brown sugar, and lemon zest until fluffy. In a stand mixer , this will be 2 to 3 minutes. Add the molasses and egg, scraping the bowl to make sure everything is mixed.In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, ginger, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves.Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Stage the pearl sugar in a small bowl.Use a teaspoon scoop to form balls of dough. Roll them in the pearl sugar. If the granules aren’t sticking well, lightly dampen the dough and try again. Place the balls spaced out on the pan.Bake until the cookies look crackled on top with the edges just set, at 10 to 12 minutes. Let set on pan a few minutes before transferring cookies to a rack to completely cool. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.OM NOM NOM!