American Gingerbread

Ingredients

• 8 ounces (1 cup or 2 sticks) Unsalted butter, melted (Half a pound; use fresh butter)
• 3 cups (12 ounces) All-purpose flour, sifted (Original called for 1.5 pounds; reduced for modern proportions)
• 1.5 cups (12 ounces) Brown sugar (Packed measurement)
• 4 tablespoons Ground ginger (Quarter pound in original; this is a very gingery cookie)
• 9 eggs Large eggs, separated (Yolks and whites beaten separately)
• 2 tablespoons Rose water (One glass in original)
• 2 tablespoons Dry white wine (One glass in original)

Instructions

1. 1Melt the butter and allow it to cool slightly to room temperature.
2. 2Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Beat the yolks in one bowl until thick and pale yellow. In a separate clean bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
3. 3In a large mixing bowl, combine the sifted flour, brown sugar, and ground ginger. Mix well to distribute the ginger evenly.
4. 4Add the melted butter, beaten egg yolks, beaten egg whites, rose water, and white wine to the dry ingredients. Mix everything together thoroughly.
5. 5Beat the batter vigorously for one hour to develop the texture and incorporate air. This can be done with an electric mixer on medium speed or by hand.
6. 6Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease flat baking sheets or line them with parchment paper.
7. 7Using a spoon or offset spatula, spread the batter thinly over the prepared baking sheets, about 1/8 inch thick (the thickness of a penny). Leave space between cookies as they will spread slightly.
8. 8Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are light brown and the surface is set. Watch carefully to avoid over-browning.
9. 9Remove from the oven and while still warm, cut the gingerbread into oblong pieces approximately 2 inches by 4 inches using a sharp knife or pizza cutter.
10. 10Place the cut gingerbread pieces standing on their ends on a wire cooling rack. Allow them to cool completely in this position, which will make them very crisp.