Spicy Gingerbread House
Spicy Gingerbread House
4 cups (1 L) flour
1 tbsp (15 mL) cinnamon
2 tsp (10 mL) baking powder
2 tsp (10 mL) ground cloves
2 tsp (10 mL) ground ginger
1 tsp (5 mL) nutmeg
1 tsp (5 mL) baking soda
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
1 cup (250 mL) shortening
1 cup (250 mL) fancy molasses
1 cup (250 mL) sugar
2 egg yolks
Royal Frosting (recipe on page 3)
Assorted candy
Cut gingerbread house pattern pieces out of thick paper or cardboard according to the dimensions and shapes in
Diagram 2 and 3.
Combine first 8 ingredients (flour through salt) in a bowl; set aside. Place shortening, molasses and sugar in
a stand mixer fitted with a flat beater. Using low speed, beat mixture until fluffy. Add egg yolks and continue
beating until blended. Gradually beat in flour mixture just until blended. Gather dough into a ball; divide in
half. Flatten each half into a rectangular shape. Wrap each rectangle with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour
before rolling out.
Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Meanwhile, remove rectangles of dough from refrigerator and let stand at
room temperature for 5 minutes before rolling out. On parchment paper, roll out each rectangle of dough
¼ inch (6 mm) thick. Using pattern pieces and a sharp knife, cut out end walls, side walls, roof halves and
chimney pieces. On one end wall, cut out a door and a window with a sharp knife. This end wall becomes the
front end wall. Transfer larger pieces of cut dough to two parchment paper-lined large rimmed baking sheets,
leaving a ½ inch (1.25 cm) space between pieces. Transfer smaller pieces of cut dough to a parchment paperlined rimmed baking sheet, leaving a ½ inch (1.25 cm) space between pieces. Leftover dough may be re-rolled
and cut into shapes for cookies.
For larger pieces, bake for 15 – 18 minutes or until lightly browned. For smaller pieces, bake for
10 – 13 minutes or until lightly browned. Working with one gingerbread piece at a time, immediately
transfer hot pieces to a cutting board. Hold pattern pieces on top using an oven mitt and trim gingerbread
pieces using a sharp knife to match pattern pieces. Cool trimmed gingerbread pieces completely on racks.
Use a cake board or tray as the base for the gingerbread house. Attach end walls to side walls and to cake
board using some of the Royal Frosting and referring to Diagram 1 as a guide. Placing two 14 oz (398 mL)
cans inside walls will help stabilize walls as they set. Place remaining frosting in an airtight container in
refrigerator. Let attached walls stand at room temperature for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Using frosting, ice top edges of both end walls on right side. Position one roof half on iced edges of end walls.
Hold roof half in place while putting an object, such as a shorter can or jar, under bottom edge of roof half,
2
allowing it to rest on object. This helps keep the roof half in place as frosting sets. Repeat procedure on left side
of end walls using frosting and remaining roof half. Fill ridge between roof halves with frosting. Using frosting,
assemble chimney; set aside. Place remaining frosting in an airtight container in refrigerator. Let gingerbread
house and chimney stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
Using frosting, attach chimney on one side of roof at back, resting chimney inner side piece on ridge, holding it
in place until set. Carefully decorate gingerbread house using frosting and assorted candy. Makes 1.
Royal Frosting
½ cup (125 mL) pasteurized liquid egg whites
2 tsp (10 mL) cream of tartar
4 - 4½ cups (1 - 1.125 L) icing sugar, sifted
Using high speed of an electric mixer, beat liquid egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar and continue
beating until very stiff. Gradually beat in icing sugar until stiff peaks form. Spoon frosting into a pastry bag
fitted with a large plain tip. Frosting becomes hard upon standing uncovered. May be refrigerated in an airtight
container for up to 24 hours. Makes about 3 cups (750 mL).
Cook’s Note: In recipes where the egg remains uncooked or lightly cooked, it is recommended that pasteurized egg
products be used. Pasteurized egg products, such as liquid egg whites and liquid whole egg, are available in the
refrigerator or freezer section of most grocery stores. ATCO Blue Flame Kitchen used Burnbrae Farms Naturegg
Simply Egg Whites in this recipe.
Diagram 1
Roof Half
3
Diagram 2
3¾
" (9
1" (2.5 cm)
1¾
.5 c
m)
" (4
1" (2.5 cm)
6" (15 cm)
.5 c
m)
3½" (9 cm)
9½" (24 cm)
1" (2.5 cm)
3½" (9 cm)
3¾" (9.5 cm)
5½" (14 cm)
4
8½" (21 cm)
Diagram 3
7½" (19 cm)
5