Ginger Cream Snaps

Ludie Driscoll chased a caterer around at an event over the holidays to wheedle this great recipe out of her for us…Thank you Honey! These are  good sized, spicy, chewy gingersnaps that you sandwich together with a luscious ginger cream.  Really special.

And Really Special  only begins to describe my dear friend Ludie.  Casey has always said she is the funniest person he’s ever met, and there is no one you would rather have RSVP Yes to your party.  She was my roomate in college, and plays a major part in all of my treasured memories from that time.  But life since then has dealt her a seriously tough hand.  Her only son Brian had a heart transplant as a boy, but died several years later in 2001. Then in 2009 on the eve of a trip to Hawaii, Ludie took her husband  Bill to the emergency room with back pain. From the ladies room she heard them yelling “Code Blue” and he also was gone that night.

The fact that she remains so warm, hysterically funny and positive is an inspiration to all who know her.  Her darling daughter Kelley was engaged a year after her Dad died, and Ludie’s Christmas card had a  lovely photo with the happy couple signed simply “Oh Blah Di, Oh Blah Da”…….Life does go on, and it’s a blessing to have  this woman  showing us the way.

The dough is best prepared 24 hours in advance.  The cookies are good with or without the Ginger Cream. (But it is so delicious!)

3/4 cup unsalted butter                        1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup sugar                                               1/2 tsp. powdered ginger

1/4 cup dark molasses                          1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1 large egg                                                 1 tsp. cinnamon

2 cups flour                                                Ginger Cream (below)

2 tsp. baking soda

In a large heavy saucepan, melt the butter.  Add the sugar and molasses and mix well.  Cool the mixture to lukewarm.  Add the egg and beat well.  Sift the dry ingredients together and combine thoroughly with the butter mixture.  Cover and chill overnight or up to 3 days in advance of baking.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Form dough in 1-inch balls and place 1 inch apart on a greased cookie sheet.  Bake for 8-10 minutes.  Remove from oven and gently press each cookie with a spatula to flatten slightly.  Cool thoroughly.  Spread 1 Tbs. of the Ginger Cream on half of the cookies.  Sandwich the remaining cookies on top of the cream.

Ginger Cream

2 1/4 cups powdered sugar                      4 Tbs. cold unsalted butter, cut in small pieces

3 tbs. chopped crystallized ginger        3 Tbs. Ginger Marmalade

Blend the sugar and the ginger in a food processor until the ginger is minced, about 2 minutes.  Add the butter and marmalade to the ginger mixture and process until thick and well blended.

Makes about 4 dozen

Note:  I was a little worried about finding Ginger Marmalade.  It turns out it’s a British jam similar to Orange Marmalade, and I found it in Pier One.  It can be ordered on line and is carried in specialty stores.  I used a melon baller to make the cookies, and came up with a bit fewer .  No need to grease the cookie sheet with all that butter!