Spiced Currant Bars

Dark and moist, with chewy currants, these are flavored with cinnamon, clove, ginger and rich molasses. They are so versatile – cut them in bars or triangles. Not too sweet, so you could even eat them for breakfast (we won’t tell!). Photo by Amy Robb.

Makes 2 dozen

Ingredients

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1-1/2 teaspoons ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup light brown sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup unsulphured molasses

1 cup currants

For glaze

1-3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted

3 tablespoons milk

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°.

Combine flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and salt in small bowl.

Beat butter and sugar in bowl on medium speed about two minutes, or until light and fluffy. Scrape bowl, then beat in egg. Add molasses, then beat until well blended. Scrape sides of bowl. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture until well combined. Stir in currants.

Divide dough in half and shape each half into log about 1-1/2 inches in diameter and about 12 inches long on ungreased cookie sheet. Dough will spread to about 4 inches wide while baking. Bake 15-18 minutes until logs are golden brown but still soft to the touch. Tops of logs will crack while baking. Cool logs on cookie sheet.

To make glaze: Whisk ingredients in small bowl until well blended. Drizzle over cooled logs. When glaze is set, cut logs into desired shapes.