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1
Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, mace, allspice and optional black pepper.
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2
Set aside.
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3
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter until it softens.
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4
Add the sugar and beat to mix.
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5
Beat in the molasses.
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6
Then, on low speed, add about half of the dry ingredients, scraping the bowl as necessary with a rubber spatula and beating until mixed.
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7
Beat in the water or coffee and rum, and then the remaining dry ingredients.
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8
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate until it is firm enough to be handled.
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9
Then divide into thirds and wrap each piece in plastic wrap: refrigerate overnight.
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10
When you are ready to bake, adjust a rack to the center of the oven and preheat to 375u00b0F.
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11
Cut aluminum foil to fit cookie sheets, and place on sheets.
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12
Flour a pastry cloth and a rolling pin, using more rather than less flour.
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13
Unwrap one of the packages of dough and place it on the cloth.
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14
Pound it a bit with the rolling pin to soften it slightly.
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15
Turn it over to flour both sides.
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16
Work very quickly because the dough will become sticky and unmanageable if it softens too much.
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17
Roll out in all directions until the dough is 1/4-inch thick.
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18
Quickly cut with a floured 5-inch round cutter.
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19
Use a wide metal spatula to transfer the cookies to the foil.
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20
Quickly and carefully place them about 1 inch apart on the foil, about 4 per sheet.
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21
Press scraps together and re chill (freezer is O. K.), the re roll and cut.
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22
Bake one sheet at a time for 13-15 minutes, reversing the sheet from front to back during baking, to ensure even baking.
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23
Watch these very carefully- they must not burn even a bit on the bottoms or it will spoil the taste.
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24
If they seem to be browning too much on the bottoms, be prepared to slide an extra cookie sheet under the one that is baking.
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25
Or raise the rack slightly higher in the oven (but I have found that if I bake these higher, they crack. It is only minor, but it does not happen when they are baked on the middle rack- that is why I only bake these one sheet at a time).
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26
Be very careful not to over bake these cookies.
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27
They will become firmer as they cool, and they should remain a bit soft and chewy in the middle.
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28
If you use a smaller cookie cutter, the cookies will probably bake in slightly less time.
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29
Slide the foil off the sheet and let stand for a few minutes (meanwhile, slide the cookie sheet under another piece of foil with cookies on it and place in oven).
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30
Use a wide metal spatula to transfer the cookies to a rack to cool.
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31
Since these are so large, if the rack is not raised enough (at least 1/2 inch or more), place the rack on any right-side up bowl or pan to make room for more air to circulate underneath.
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32
When completely cool, store these airtight.
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33
I wrap them, two to three a package, bottoms together, in clear cellophane.
