Ginger Wafers
makes 30 cookies
The crystallized ginger adds bite and texture to these sweet, chewy wafers, which already have a delicate base note from the ground spice and touch of grated fresh ginger.
This recipe is part of the Barbara Kafka Dessert Anthology.
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 egg whites
1 cup sifted flour
Pinch kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
30 1/4-inch pieces crystallized ginger
prep: 15 minutes
total: 35 minutes
food processor
grater
2 cookie sheets
metal spatula
1. Place sugar and ground ginger in the work bowl of a food processor. Add pieces of butter and process until smooth.
2. With machine running, add egg whites, flour, salt, lemon juice, and grated ginger. Process until combined and smooth. Let batter stand for 15 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 400F.
4. Butter and flour two cookie sheets. Drop the batter by rounded teaspoonful onto the cookie sheets, at least two inches apart. Press a piece of crystallized ginger into each cookie.
5. Bake for 8 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove cookies to a cooling rack with a metal spatula. Serve the same day or store in layers in an airtight tin overnight.
