GINGERBREAD
5 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ginger
2 T baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
2/3 cup brown sugar
12 oz. molasses (1 1/2 cups)
2 egg yolks (save whites for frosting)
1 cup oil
1/4 tsp. cloves
Mix dry ingredients in a mixing bowl to combine, then mix with an electric mixer, dough
should not be sticky, if it is you can add a little flour. It should not stick to your hands but you don't
want it to be too stiff. Dough can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator in a plastic bag,
but sit at room temperature about two hours before use.
Items Needed For Baking:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Rolling pin
Aluminum foil
Large Cookie sheets, about 13” by 18”
Wax paper
Cooking Oil
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ROYAL FROSTING (Gingerbread Glue)
3 egg whites
1 1 Ib. box powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. cream of tarter
Mix all ingredients with an electric mixer at high speed until frosting forms stiff peaks. Cover
the frosting bowl with a slightly damp cloth while you are not using it so it won’t dry out.
BAKING
Dampen the working surface with a little water, this will make the foil stick, then smooth a
piece of foil the size of your tray on the counter.
Then generously oil the foil with your hand or a pastry brush.
Take a ball of gingerbread dough and roughly flatten into a square in the middle of the foil.
Place a sheet of wax paper the size of your foil over the gingerbread and flatten with a rolling pin. If
you develop a fold in the wax paper lift it and place it down again.
Roll until it is almost the size of the foil and ¼” thick. Remove wax paper and use cookie cutters
economically to get as many pieces as possible.
Barn mold is shown below.
DO NOT REMOVE THE OUTSIDE EDGES! They will prevent distortion when baked.
Carefully remove the sheet of foil from the counter and place on the tray.
Place in the oven at 350°F and cook until the edges are dark brown.
Remove from oven and leave in the tray. Score all edges with a sharp knife as quickly a possible
starting on the outside edges as they cool quickest.
Remove outer edge excess gingerbread first then take out windows and the door. The windows are not
used but the door is needed later.
Be careful removing pieces from foil as they will crack.
Place them on a cooling rack. They will become hard as they cool.
Once they are completely cool place a set together, roof on the bottom, front, sides, chimney, and door.
Put them in a plastic bag and seal it. You can keep the house for up to a year if the bag is sealed and
put in a plastic container until you are ready to build the house. Gingerbread absorbs moisture so it
cannot be left out or the pieces will become soft and not strong enough to build a house.
ASSEMBLY
Items needed for assembly
1. Baked House or Barn
2. Royal Frosting
3. Parchment paper
4. Aluminum Foil
5. Cardboard rounds or squares
6. Piping bags
7. # 3 piping tip and # 17 tip
Place house pieces on Parchment Paper with rough side up.
Place Royal Frosting in piping bag with a # 17 tip and dot frosting outside edges of windows. Place a
piece of foil cut to extend about ½: around opening.
Do all windows then let sit a few minutes before you turn over.
With a # 3 tip do lattice work over foil n all the windows.
Once all the lattice is done use the bag with the #17 tip and go around all windows with ruffle.
Once windows are done let them sit for about 10 minutes to set up a little.
To start the building place a strip of frosting a little bigger than the piece toward the back of the board.
Place the back on it and put a strip down one side of the back and on the board and put your side on.
Do the same for the other side.
Put on the front being careful to press in place. When finished let it sit for a10 minutes to firm up a
little.
Put a strip of frosting for the door and place it on then go around the edge.
Put a row of frosting for the roof.
Place one roof piece and press it in place being careful not to crush the house.
Do the other side of the roof.
Place chimney pieces, angled sides first, then long one outside and then the small one.
Finished house!
Make sure to cover the assembled house with plastic wrap after the frosting is firmer, about 10
minutes. It will take a few hours to fully harden.
Ready to decorate but only uncover it when you are ready to begin as it will soften the gingerbread.
Once it is decorated the frosting helps to keep it together.