Ginger Orange Stars Recipes

Steps:

• Place ingredients into the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select the Dough cycle, and press Start.
• When the machine signals the end of the cycle, remove the dough. Roll into a loaf, and place in a 9x5 inch bread pan. Set aside to rise until doubled, or until your finger leaves a dent when the dough is pressed lightly.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake the bread for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a rich golden brown.

Steps:

• Beat the cream cheese, butter, granulated sugar, grated ginger and salt in a large bowl with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add the flour and mix until combined. Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap and pat into a 1-inch-thick rectangle. Wrap in the plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 1/8-inch-thick rectangle, then fold into thirds like a letter. Roll out again to about 1/3 inch thick. Cut into stars using 1 1/2-to-2-inch cookie cutters and place 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Reroll the scraps and repeat. (Refrigerate the dough if it gets too soft.)
• Beat the egg and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl. Lightly brush the cookies with the egg wash, then sprinkle with the crystallized ginger and coarse sugar. Refrigerate the cookies until firm, about 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake until the cookies are slightly puffed and golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool 2 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container up to 3 days.

Steps:

• For cookies:
• Sift first 7 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Add sugar and beat until well blended. Beat in molasses, egg yolk, orange peel, and vanilla. Add flour mixture and beat just until blended. Gather dough into ball. Divide into 4 pieces. Flatten each into disk. Wrap each in plastic and chill until cold and firm, at least 4 hours.
• Position racks in top third and bottom third of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out 1 piece of dough on lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Using 2 1/2- to 3-inch star-shaped cutter, cut out cookies. Transfer cookies to prepared sheets, spacing 1/2 inch apart (cookies spread very little). Gather scraps and reroll dough, cutting out more cookies. Bake cookies 5 minutes. Reverse baking sheets; bake until cookies are puffed and look slightly darker around edges, about 5 minutes longer. Cool cookies on sheets 2 minutes. Using thin metal spatula, transfer cookies to racks; cool. Repeat with remaining dough pieces.
• For icing:
• Sift 1 1/2 cups sugar into medium bowl. Add 5 teaspoons water and vanilla; whisk until smooth. Whisk in more sugar by tablespoonfuls, if necessary, until icing falls thickly off whisk. Spoon icing into pastry bag fitted with 1/16-inch plain round tip or resealable plastic bag (cut tip off bag). Pipe icing onto cookies. Let stand until icing is hard, at least 3 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight between sheets of waxed paper.)

Steps:

• Rinse duck and pat dry. Remove neck and giblets and save for another purpose. Remove excess fat from cavity and tail area and trim off a bit of flappy neck skin. Prick duck skin all over with tip of sharp paring knife, making sure not to penetrate meat.
• Mix together salt and 5-spice powder. Season interior of duck with 1 tablespoon salt mixture; use remainder to generously season exterior (you may have a little left over). Combine orange zest with grated ginger and garlic, then smear mixture inside cavity. Place orange wedges in cavity. Tie legs together. Secure neck flap with wooden skewer or toothpicks. Place duck on rack in roasting pan breast-side-up and refrigerate overnight, uncovered.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, bring duck to room temperature and make the glaze: Bring orange juice, honey, sugar and soy sauce to a simmer. Add sliced ginger and star anise, then reduce mixture until you have a medium-thick syrup, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Roast duck for 2 hours, carefully pouring off fat and turning duck over every 30 minutes. Paint with glaze and roast another 30 minutes (2 1/2 hours in all). Tent with foil if glaze begins to get too dark. Duck is done when temperature at thickest part of leg reads 165 degrees. Paint duck once more, keep warm and let rest 20 minutes. Use poultry shears to cut into quarters (remove backbone first) or carve in the traditional way, removing legs from carcass and slicing breast. Serve with mashed butternut squash if desired.

Steps:

• Peel ginger and halve crosswise. Cut pieces lengthwise into 1/16-inch-thick slices, then cut slices into 1/8-inch-wide julienne strips and transfer to a 2-quart heavy saucepan.
• Remove zest from 3 oranges in long wide strips with a vegetable peeler, removing any white pith from zest with a paring knife, and add to ginger in pan. Fill pan three-fourths full with cold water and bring to a boil. Boil 1 minute, then drain in a sieve. Return zest and ginger to pan and refill with cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Drain zest and ginger. Repeat simmering with more cold water for another 10 minutes, then drain.
• Bring 1 1/2 cups water, 1 cup sugar, and salt to a boil in saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add zest and ginger and gently simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until zest and ginger are completely translucent and syrup is thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain candied zest and ginger in a sieve, discarding syrup.
• Meanwhile, cut 1/2 inch from top and bottom of all oranges with a sharp knife, exposing fruit at both ends. Cut peel and pith from sides (leaving no white parts) with paring knife, trimming fruit if large (but retaining orange shape) to 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 inches wide at middle. Discard trimmings.
• Bring wine, orange juice, 1/2 cup Grand Marnier, and remaining cup sugar to a boil in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then boil 3 minutes. Add oranges, arranging in 1 layer, and simmer, covered with a tight-fitting lid, 10 minutes. Transfer oranges with a slotted spoon to a serving dish, inverting them (so syrup coats oranges). Add candied zest and ginger to syrup and boil over moderate heat, uncovered, until syrup is thickened and mixture is reduced to about 1 1/4 cups, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in remaining 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier.
• When oranges are cool enough to handle, cut each crosswise into thirds on a cutting board, then reassemble "whole" in serving dish. Spoon zest mixture, including syrup, over oranges, arranging zests and ginger decoratively over them. Chill oranges in serving dish until cold, at least 1 hour.
• Just before serving, spoon syrup in dish over oranges to coat. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Steps:

• Place two 12-by-16-inch pieces of parchment on a work surface. Divide dough in half; form each half into a rough log on parchment. Fold parchment over dough; using a ruler, roll and press dough into a 1 1/2-inch cylinder. Wrap. Chill at least 3 hours.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Spread crystallized ginger on a work surface. Unwrap logs; roll in ginger to coat. Cut logs into 1/4-inch-thick rounds; place on sheets, spaced 2 inches apart. Bake until edges turn slightly golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool. Bake or freeze remaining dough. Store in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients except lemon juice and garnish in a saucepan no more than 6 inches across. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring to coat, then adjust heat so mixture simmers. Cover.
• Cook, more or less undisturbed, until carrots are tender and liquid is almost gone, 10 to 20 minutes. Uncover and boil off remaining liquid, then add lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve hot or within an hour or two, garnished with herbs, if you like.