GINGERSNAP LOGS

So here's the recipe for the gingersnap logs I made yesterday.  This recipe was found from the CHRISTMAS COOKIES edition of Better Homes and Gardens Special Interests magazine.

*See photo gallery for more photos* http://slice-of-cake.blogspot.ca/p/photo-gallery.html

Gingersnap Logs:
11/4 C crushed gingersnaps
1/2 C powdered sugar
1/3 C sweetened condensed milk
1 tbp molasses, or 11/2 tsp rum or coffee liqueur
11/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 oz white chocolate baking squares with coca butter, chopped
1 C canned vanilla frosting
Red decorative sugar


Prep. 45 minutes
Stand: 30 minutes
Chill: 1 hour


1. In a food processor combine 1 cup of the crushed gingersnaps, the powdered sugar, sweetened condensed milk, molasses, vanilla, and cinnamon.  Cover and process until well combined.  Transfer to a bowl; stir in remaining crushed gingersnaps.  Cover and chill for 1 hour or until the dough is easy to handle.

2. Line an extra-large baking sheet with waxed paper; set aside.  Shape a rounded teaspoonful of dough into a 1X1/2-inch log.  Place on prepared baking sheet.  Repeat with remaining dough.

3. In a small saucepan cook and stir white chocolate over low heat until chocolate melts.  Add frosting; heat and stir until mixture is smooth.  Using a fork, dip logs, one at a time, into white chocolate mixture, allowing excess to drip off.  Return logs to waxed paper.  Sprinkle logs with red decorative sugar.  Let stand for about 30 minutes or until set.  Makes about 36 cookies.




TIPS: 
-Make sure you use exactly 1 cup or less crushed gingersnaps.  More will make it extremely hard for the dough to mix properly.

-I found the dough extremely hard to work with, even after chilled.  To make rolling easier, damp your hands with water and then roll.  But doing this makes the dough "melt" a little faster, and the friction from the rolling makes your hands raw.

-I didn't have molasses or rum or coffee liqueur.  Came out fine.

-I experimented on a baking sheet vs. a wired rack (to help with the access chocolate-frosting mix).  The baking sheet came out so much better.  Using the wired rack makes the logs sink into the wires.

-I found it hard to actually dip the log with a fork lodged into it.  Instead, I just dumped the logs two at a time into the mix (I had a small saucepan), and used the fork to wrap the logs into the mixture, then simply picked up the logs (not forked them).

-It really does take around 30 minutes to for it set.

-In my opinion, the recipe was horrible.  The mixture has doughy texture, cooled or not, and the chocolate-frosting mix was overly sweet and gross.  :P