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1
Melt the margarine and lard together and set aside to cool to lukewarm.
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2
Put the molasses in a very large and heavy smooth-bottomed pot.
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3
Stir in the cloves, cinnamon, ginger, and the brown sugar.
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4
Turn to medium-high and start stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture is warm, the sugar has dissolved, and all the spices are incorporated, 5 to 10 minutes.
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5
Do NOT bring it to a boil.
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6
Put the salt and soda in a cup or small bowl and mix it with about 3 tablespoons flour in a cup.
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7
Add that to the molasses mixture.
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8
Stir until completely dissolved, mashing any particles of soda against the side of the pot so that every bit is incorporated.
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9
Pour in the cooled margarine and lard, and beat with a wooden spoon until completely blended.
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10
Allow the whole mixture to cool before adding the flour, or the dough will absorb more flour.
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11
Add about one-third of the flour mixture and stir well with a wooden spoon.
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12
Add the second third of flour and continue to mix.
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13
Take the remaining third of flour and sprinkle a work surface thickly with some of it.
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14
Scrape all the dough out onto the floured surface, and begin to knead, flouring your hands frequently while you incorporate the remaining flour.
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15
When the dough has become stiff and firm and far less sticky, roll it into a long tube and cut it into eight pieces, which will weigh roughly one pound each.
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16
Shape each ball into a disk, slapping the surface with your hands to smooth it (you'll see the lard rise to the surface, making each disk kind of shiny).
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17
Put four disks of dough in each of two large plastic bags and seal.
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18
Allow to sit overnight on the countertop.
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19
The dough will swell some and the spice flavors will mellow and blend.
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20
When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Cover a pastry or rolling board (or a square piece of plywood) with bleached muslin that's been washed several times, tacking it tightly around the edges.
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21
Flour the muslin and rub the flour into the cloth to coat it deeply.
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22
Roll the cookies as thin as possible, 1/16 to 1/32 of an inch.
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23
Cut with any cookie cutter you like, using tiny cutters such as hearts or circles to cut out little cookies in the spaces between larger cookies.
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24
(You can also gather the scraps and reroll, but these cookies won't be as tender.)
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25
Lift the cookies onto an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
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26
Watch them, and don't let the cookies brown around the edges.
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27
Allow to cool on the pan for several minutes before lifting them onto cooling racks.
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28
As soon as they're completely cool, pack and store in an airtight container.
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29
If you're using cookie tins, seal the lid of the tin with masking tape.
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30
Any air creeping in will cause the cookies to soften.
