Hermits

Now when I say hermits, I don't mean crazy uncle Henry that only comes out on the holidays- I'm talking about delicious, molassas and spice tinged goodness. I can remember my parents buying these at the Smith farmstand near where I grew up. The bakers taking them fresh out of the oven, and there I was tuning up my nose and ordering an M&M cookie. What a fool I was! Thankfully my tastes have changed, and I'll take a batch of these anytime! Now don't make the same mistake I did the first time I worked with molasses- stay away from the Blackstrap which is too strong in flavor to use in anything but medicine. In place use a "first" molasses that is meant for baking (there is a brand called Grandma's you can find in almost any baking isle).

Hermit Bars
From: The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion

1⅓ cups Sugar
½ cup plus 2 tbsp Vegetable Shortening
4 tablesspoons Unsalted Butter (1/2 stick)
¼ cup Molasses
¾ teaspoon Salt
¾ tteaspoon Ground Allspice
¾ teaspoon Cinnamon
1¾ teaspoons Baking Soda
2 Large Eggs
5 cups sifted Cake Flour
⅓ cup Water
2 cups Raisins

Glaze
3 tbablespoons Milk
1 cup sifted Confectioners’ Sugar

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Lightly grease a 10 x 15 inch jelly roll pan, or into a 9 x 9- inch square pan and a 9- inch round cake pan.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the sugar, shortening, and butter, beating at medium speed until fluffy. Add the molasses, salt, spices, and baking soda. Mix for 1 minute, then stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add half the flour. Once it’s mixed in, add the water, then the other half of the flour. When the batter is mixed completely, add the raisins and stir until combined. Spread the batter in the prepared pan.
Bake the hermis for 18 to 20 minutes, until the edges are light brown. If you are using the two pan method, check them at 15 minutes to make sure they do not overcook. They’ll puff up in the oven and the top will get shiny. As soon as you see this, pull the pan from the oven. The top will fall back down and the interior of the cookies will have an almost fudgy consistency. If you leave them in the oven longer, you’ll get a product that’s more like a cake-type brownie, and it won’t be as moist and irresistible. Remove the hermits from the oven and cool them in the pan on a rack before glazing.

To make the glaze: In a small bowl, stir together the milk and confectioners’ sugar until smooth, the glaze will be quite thin. Use a pastry brush to brush it on top of the hermits before cutting the bars.