Woah!

[averygoodun42]

Well, I've figured it out, more or less, and I've got a buttload of baking to do. Some of it can be done in advance, fortunately, like the refrigerator cookies, and all but the nanaimo bars are easy.

So, what I'm probably going to be making is:

Banana Bread x2 (w/ whole wheat flour) .....................[Thursday 8th]
Brownies ............................................................................[Saturday 10th]
Nanaimo bars x2 ..............................................................[Thursday or friday]
Pumpkin cookies ..............................................................[Friday]
Parkin drops (oatmeal chews, basically)......................[Thursday]
Butter tarts ..........................................................................[Saturday]
Pumpkin tarts......................................................................[Friday]
Coffee cake.........................................................................[Saturday]
Icebox cookies (with dates and nuts (and orange?))..[week before? Bake Saturday]
Chocolate chip cookies (w/ whole wheat flour) ...........[that week]
Gingerbread........................................................................[Saturday]

I am going to be so hungry after making all that. I will probably be in a bit of a self-pity funk as well. I hope not, but...

Even with all of that plus a planned pineapple upside-down cake, I will still have 1.75 cups whole wheat flour, 3.5 cups cake flour, 1.25 cups white sugar, 1 cup brown sugar and 2 cups molasses leftover. I won't even mention the raisins as they're snack food for Babe.

Edit: With gingerbread, now totals are 1.75 cups whole wheat flour, 1.5 cups cake flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 cup brown sugar and 1 cup molasses.  Much better.  Thank you, evieeros!

And, of course, there are also pudding mixes and such that will also have to be used up eventually. But they can stay in the cupboard for emergencies. ("Help me! I need sugar!" "You are in luck, my friend! Here, have this coconut cream pie! Or would you prefer some Jello?")

Except for the molasses, I have a good idea of what to do with the leftovers, but the molasses really is giving me pause. I could make gingerbread/snaps, but that doesn't use much molasses at all. I do not want to attempt making molasses taffy again, although that would use up both the molasses and white sugar quite nicely. I just don't know. I wouldn't mind keeping it in the cupboard for use on oatmeal, but no one here eats oatmeal anymore. Besides, whenever I do, I much prefer raisins.

So, if you have any suggestions on what to do with the leftovers that includes tons of molasses, I would appreciate the help!

Comments

[zalena.livejournal.com]

Okay, I'll ask: What the heck is a Nanaimo Bar?

Re: Molasses = there is often molasses in gingerbread. I prefer the bread variety, but I seem to recall once making the cookie houses in your Boulder home many years ago. I think it's the only time I've done it.

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

Nanaimo bars used to be a family favorite for Christmas for years and years. It's a three layer bar: chocolate- coconut cookie on the base, custard icing in the middle and topped with semi-sweet (I would now prefer bittersweet) chocolate. It's way too sweet and rich for my tastes now, although a tiny square is... it's like a complex fudge. Very yummy.


Nanaimo Bars

½ cup butter
¼ cup white sugar
3 tbsp cocoa
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup coconut
¼ cup butter
2 cups sifted icing sugar
2 tbsp custard powder
2 tbsp hot water
2 squares semi-sweet chocolate
1 tsp butter
½ cup chopped nuts

Cook butter, sugar, cocoa over hot water till sugar dissolves. Add beaten egg and vanilla. Remove from heat and add crumbs, coconut and nuts. Spread in greased 8”x8” pan. Place in fridge to set. Combine butter, sugar, custard powder and hot water. Mix well. Spread over first mixture and return to fridge. Melt chocolate and butter. Spread on top of icing and chill until firm. Cut into small squares (1” is good).

The sticky issue of molasses

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

Gingerbread, both soft and firm, has a very low molasses to flour ratio. Although it is tempting to get Ash's recipe for her now famous gingerbread and make that, too. Even if it doesn't use up the molasses. :-)

[evieeros.livejournal.com]

How about molasses cookies? Yummy! This recipe (http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1710,135182-245195,00.html) uses 1/2 cup for 3 cups flour and it was just the first that showed on Google.

[evieeros.livejournal.com]

Hmm and this one for gingerbread uses 1 cup molasses for 2 cups flour (http://southernfood.about.com/od/gingerbreadrecipes/r/bl40323p.htm).

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's just perfect! Thank you!

[evieeros.livejournal.com]

*does a little dance* Yay baking! Too bad I don't live close enough to reap the rewards.