Sweet & slow

Steaming gives Boston Brown Bread its moist, dense texture. - Cole Publishing Group/Distributed By Universal Press Syndicate

Molasses, thick, dark and sweet, is synonymous with slow motion and has a rich, colourful history

A BY-PRODUCT of cane sugar refining, molasses has at times been used as an alternative to sugar. Its distinctive flavour and rich colour are essential to specialities such as Boston baked beans, steamed brown bread, and gingerbread.

Several kinds of molasses are available. Light molasses, a product of the residue from the first boiling down of sugar cane juice, is mild enough for pouring over pancakes or hot cereal. The second boiling yields a darker molasses, suitable for flavouring baked beans, breads, cakes, cookies and barbecue sauces. The third boiling results in a strong-tasting brownish-black syrup, known as blackstrap, more often used as a mineral supplement than sweetener for cooking or baking. Molasses is added to granulated sugar to make brown sugar.

SUCCESS TIP:

Molasses will keep indefinitely when tightly lidded and stored in the refrigerator.

Boston Brown Bread

Molasses colours and flavours this wholesome bread. It can be sliced into rounds and spread with cream cheese to serve with tea, soup or salad.

You will need an empty 1-pound coffee can or two empty 15- or 16-ounce fruit or vegetable cans. To prepare the cans, soak them for 10 minutes to loosen the labels, wash the cans in hot, soapy water (removing the labels), rinse and dry them. Spritz the insides of the cans with vegetable cooking spray or butter them generously.

1/2 cup each rye flour, whole-wheat flour

and cornmeal

1 1/4 tsps. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup buttermilk (or evaporated milk)

1/3 cup molasses

1/2 cup raisins

METHOD

1. Put several quarts of water to heat on the stove and have ready a deep kettle or stockpot with a tight-fitting lid. In a medium bowl, stir and toss together flours, cornmeal, baking soda and salt.

2. Stir buttermilk and molasses together, add to dry ingredients along with raisins, and stir until completely mixed.

3. Pour batter into prepared
1-pound coffee can or divide it equally between two fruit or vegetable cans about 3 inches in diameter and 4 to 5 inches high. Cover tops of cans tightly with a double layer of aluminium foil.

4. Place can(s) in kettle on a rack; pour in boiling water to come halfway up the sides. Cover kettle; set over low heat. Regulate the temperature so the water barely bubbles. Cook for about 2 hours if using the larger mould, about 1 1/2 hours if using the smaller ones. The bread is done when a wooden skewer plunged into the middle of the loaf comes out clean.

5. Remove mould(s) from water, let stand about 5 minutes, then unmould onto a rack to cool completely.

Makes 1 large or 2 small cylindrical loaves.

Soft Molasses Cookies

Crisp on the outside with a soft interior, these classic lunch box treats are dark with molasses and raisins, and
spicy with cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger.

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. each baking soda

and ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. each ground nutmeg

and ground ginger

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup each sugar and light

molasses

1 egg

1/3 cup buttermilk (evaporated

milk) or 1/4 cup plain yoghurt

plus 1 1/2 tbsps. milk

1 cup raisins

METHOD

1. In a bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger to combine thoroughly; set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350ºF. In mixer bowl, combine butter and sugar; beat until well-blended. Add molasses and beat until fluffy. Add egg and beat well.

3. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, mixing until smooth after each addition. Stir in raisins.

4. Drop by rounded teaspoons, placed about 1 inch apart, onto well-greased baking sheets. Bake until tops are firm when touched lightly and edges are brown (12 to 15 minutes). Remove at once to wire racks to cool.

Makes 5 dozen (2 1/2-inch) cookies.

Gingerbread

The many versions of this early form of cake range from mildly spicy to pungent, with a texture that can be as soft as layer cake or hard as teething biscuits. This mildly sweet rendition has a cakelike quality that goes well with baked ham or roast chicken, applesauce or ice cream.

2 1/2 cups flour

2 tsps. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. ground ginger

1/2 cup softened butter

1/4 cup firmly packed

dark brown sugar

2 eggs

1 cup molasses

2 cups boiling water

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Generously grease and lightly flour an 8-inch-square baking pan. In medium bowl, stir and toss together flour, baking soda, salt and ginger.

2. In large bowl of electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together until well-blended. Beat in eggs, then add molasses and blend well. Stir in water. Immediately add flour mixture and stir until batter is smooth.

3. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake until skewer inserted in centre comes out clean (35 to 40 minutes). Remove from oven and set on rack to cool. Serve warm or cold.

Serves 6 to 8.

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