Hermit Bars

FM Staff

Yield: 12 dozen cookies

4 lbs. cake flour (1.81 kg.)
¹¹⁄4 oz. baking soda (35 g.)
2 lbs 4 oz. sugar (1.02 kg.)
1 lb. 4 oz. butter, soft (567 g.)
9¹⁄2 oz. molasses (269 g.)
¹⁄2 oz. ground allspice (14 g.)
¹⁄2 oz. ground cinnamon (14 g.)
¹¹⁄2 tsps. salt (7.50 g.) 9¹⁄2 oz. eggs (269 g.)
8 fl oz. water, room temperature (240 ml.) 1 lb. 8 oz. raisins (680 g.)
4 lbs. 8 oz. fondant, warmed (2.04 kg.)*

1. line sheet pans with parchment.
2. Sift together the flour and baking soda.
3. Cream together the sugar, butter, molasses, allspice, cinnamon, and salt on medium speed with a paddle attachment, scraping down the bowl periodically, until the mixture is smooth and light in color, about 5 minutes.
4. Whisk the eggs and water together. Add to the butter-sugar mixture in three additions, alternating with the sifted dry ingredients, mixing until fully incorporated after each addition and scraping down the bowl as needed. Mix in the raisins until just incorporated. Chill the dough.
5. For bars: Weigh dough and spread 24 oz. of dough in 9" x 12" pans, 3 lbs. of dough in 1⁄2 sheet pans, or 6 lbs. in a full sheet pan. For logs: Scale the dough into 12-oz. portions. Shape into logs 12" long. Place on the prepared sheet pans.
6. Bake at 375°F until the cookies are light golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to racks and cool completely.
7. Heat the fondant and thin to a glazing consistency. Glaze bars with fondant or, for logs, place on a wire rack over a sheet pan and allow to set completely. Slice into bars or slice logs into1 1⁄2-inch cookies.

*Recipe from Baking and Pastry: Mastering the Art and Craft by The Culinary Institute of America, John Wiley & Sons, 2004. (For instructions on working with fondant, see page 426.)