Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at 70 degrees
- 1/2 cup brownish sugar
- 1/4 cup light molasses or dark corn syrup
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger root
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon sodium bicarbonate
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- two tablespoons water
- For assemblage and decoration:
- Melted white-colored chocolate or Royal Icing (recipe follows)
- Gumdrops, licorice and peppermint, as preferred
- Royal Icing:
- 1 pound (3-3/4 cups) powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy
- one to two large egg-whites, or substitute 4 teaspoons packaged egg-whites and 1/4 cup water
- 1 teaspoon almond extract, vanilla or fresh lemon juice
Directions
Gingerbread House:
Inside a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar. molasses, cinnamon. ginger root, cloves and sodium bicarbonate together before the mixture is smooth. Merge the flour and water to create a stiff dough. Chill a minimum of half an hour or until firm.
Preheat oven to 375 levels F.
Eliminate the next paper patterns for that gingerbread house template:
Two rectangles, 3 by 5 inches, to create the back and front of the home. Two rectangles, 3 by 5 1/2 " for that roof. Two pieces for that ends of the home, 3 inches wide in the base, 3 inches towards the roof line, and slanted to some peak 5 1/2 " in the bottom. Four smaller sized rectangles, 1 1/2 by 1 " for that roof and sides from the entryway. And something piece, 2 " wide in the base, 1 1/2 " towards the roof line, and slanted to some peak 2 1/2 " in the bottom for that front from the entryway.
Roll gingerbread dough to edges on the large, rimless cookie sheet. Place paper patterns to the folded out dough. Having a sharp, straight edged knife, cut around each one of the pieces, but leave pieces in position.
Bake at 375 levels F for around fifteen minutes until dough feels firm.
Place patterns on the top from the gingerbread again and trim shapes, cutting edges having a straight-edged sharp knife. Leave to awesome on baking sheet.
Place royal icing into pastry bag having a writing tip and press to decorate individual areas of house, piping on adornments, home windows, door, etc. as preferred. Let dry until hardened.
Glue sides, back and front of house together at corners using royal icing. Place an item from the pieces to support until icing is dry (it takes only a couple of minutes).
Glue the 2 roof pieces towards the pitched roofline of the home. Then, similarly, glue the edges and roof from the entryway along with icing. Attach the entryway towards the front of the home.
Continue decorating the home, glueing on gumdrops, licorice and peppermint, as preferred.
Royal Icing:
Mix all the ingredients together utilizing an electric hands mixer, before the icing is smooth and thin enough to become pressed via a pastry bag having a writing tip. Increase the fresh lemon juice, if required.
Adapted by Food Network from the recipe thanks to Beatrice Ojakangas
I wish to get this to