GINGERBREAD FOR HOUSES
After much experimentation, we've discovered that this recipe for intensely-scented and sturdy gingerbread makes the finest building blocks your gingerbread house could hope for.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Dessert & Treats Recipes Cake Recipes
Yield Makes 3 pounds of dough
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Into a large bowl, sift together flour, spices, baking soda, salt, and pepper; set aside. In a large saucepan, melt shortening over medium-high heat, about 4 minutes. Whisk in sugar and molasses until well combined. Remove from heat, and stir in the flour mixture until just combined but still crumbly. If dough is still sticky, add a bit more flour.
- Turn out dough onto a large piece of plastic wrap, and wrap to enclose completely; let cool slightly, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees, and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Divide dough into two equal parts, and place on prepared baking sheets. While dough is still slightly warm, roll out gently but firmly to a 3/8-inch thickness. Cut out desired shapes, and remove excess dough from around cutters or templates.
- Bake 30 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
GINGERBREAD (FOR COOKIES OR A GINGERBREAD HOUSE)
This dough is very easy to work with. We use this gingerbread to make our annual gingerbread houses. One recipe makes 3 fair sized gingerbread houses. This is also works excellent for gingerbread people. From Good Housekeeping Dec 94
Provided by LUv 2 BaKE
Categories Dessert
Time 1h
Yield 36 cookies, 36 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- In a medium saucepan, heat sugar, molasses, ginger, allspice, cinnamon, and cloves to boiling, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from heat; stir in soda (it will foam up).
- Stir in margarine till melted.
- With a fork, stir in egg, then flour.
- On a floured surface, knead dough till mixed. Divide dough in half, wrap half with plastic wrap; set aside.
- Roll half the dough, with a rolling pin, slightly thinner than 1/4 inch.
- Cut with cutters.
- Bake at 325F on a cookie sheet for 12 minutes; cool on a wire rack.
- Makes about 3 dozen 3" gingerbread people.
- NOTE: We make houses by cutting out our house design (the 2 sides of the roof, two sides, a front and a back of the house) on graph paper, and then placing the graph paper shapes on the dough and cutting the dough shapes out with a knife.
GINGERBREAD HOUSE DOUGH
This is a classic gingerbread house dough that's designed for construction. Made with vegetable shortening (which has a higher melting point than traditional butter) and no leavening, the dough holds its shape well once baked. It's strong and sturdy enough to make a basic gingerbread house, an advanced mansion or even additional elements for your house.
Provided by Dan Langan
Categories dessert
Time 1h55m
Yield One 8-by-8-inch gingerbread house
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Mix the shortening, sugar, ginger, cinnamon, salt and cloves in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until a smooth paste forms, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the egg, molasses and vinegar and mix on low until combined. Scrape down the bowl and mix, about 30 seconds more. Add about half of the flour and mix on low until combined. Add the remaining flour and mix until smooth. Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and knead until smooth, sprinkling the work surface and dough lightly with flour if sticky. Divide the dough in half.
- Working with one half at a time, roll out the dough on a piece of parchment paper until it is 1/4 inch thick, sprinkling it with flour if it starts to get sticky. (Don't go too thin! I place 1/4-inch dowels on either side of my dough to ensure that it is evenly rolled out.) Repeat with the second portion of dough. Chill the rolled dough on baking sheets until the dough feels chilled and is slightly firm, about 1 hour in the fridge or 30 minutes in the freezer. (Alternately you can wrap both pieces of dough in plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours or overnight before rolling.)
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- For the basic gingerbread house template, cut out the following patterns: One rectangle panel measuring 7 x 5.5 inches for the sides of the house (you will use this twice). One rectangle panel measuring 8.5 x 6 inches for the front and back roof panels side (you will use this twice). And, one piece measuring 6 inches wide at the base, 6 inches to the roof line and slanted to a peak 9 inches from the bottom for the ends of the house (you will use this twice).
- For the advanced gingerbread house mansion, make 2 more batches of dough. For the advanced gingerbread house mansion template, cut out the following patterns: One rectangle panel measuring 10 x 8.75 inches for the front and back of the house (you will use this twice). One rectangle panel measuring 11 x 6.5 inches for the front and back roof panels (you will use this twice). And, one piece measuring 9 inches wide at the base, 9 inches to the roof line and slanted to a peak 12 inches from the bottom for the ends and center support of the house (you will use this three times).
- Plus, one piece measuring 2 inches wide, 2 inches to the low slant line and 3.25 inches to the high slant line for the sides of the chimney (you will use this twice). One small rectangle panel measuring 2 x 3.25 inches for the front chimney panel. And, one small square panel measuring 2 x 2 inches for the back chimney panel.
- Plus, one piece measuring 4 inches wide at the base, 5 inches to the lowest roof line and 7 inches to the highest roof line for the extra room (you will use this twice). One square panel measuring 4.5 x 4.5 inches for the extra room wall. And, one rectangle panel measuring 5.5 x 5 inches for the extra room roof.
- Plus, one triangle measuring 4 inches at the base and 1.5 inches high at the center peak for the front porch. One small rectangle panel measuring 1.5 x 3 inches for the front porch roof panels (you will use this twice). One small rectangle panel measuring 2 x 0.5 inches for the flower box panels (you will use this eight times). And, one rectangle panel measuring 2 x 3.25 inches for the front door.
- Use the gingerbread templates and a sharp chef's knife or craft knife to cut out the pieces, rerolling the scraps as needed. Leave about 1/2 inch between each piece. I like to cut the pieces directly on the parchment and then peel away the scraps to avoid moving the cut pieces.
- For the basic gingerbread house: From one of the pieces with the peaked roof (this will be the front of the house), use a square or rectangular cutter to make a door and a round cutter to make a center window above, cutting straight down and leaving the perforated pieces in while the dough bakes.
- For the advanced gingerbread house mansion: From the side panels of the house, use a round cutter to make a center window, and from the front and back of the house, use a square or rectangular cutter to make windows, cutting straight down and leaving the perforated pieces in while the dough bakes.
- To make the trees, use tree-shaped cookie cutters or a tree template to cut out trees in pairs. Use a sharp paring knife or a craft knife to cut one tree in each pair in half. Use a round cutter to cut out one circle per pair to use as the base of the tree.
- Bake until the centers are firm to the touch, rotating the pans back to front and top to bottom during the last 10 minutes of baking, 25 to 28 minutes total (20 to 25 minutes for the smaller pieces). For the extra-large pieces for the advanced gingerbread house mansion, lower the oven temperature to 300 degrees F and bake an additional 15 to 20 minutes. Don't be afraid to bake the gingerbread a few minutes longer if you are unsure--we need these pieces to be strong!
- While the dough is still warm, use the cutters or a paring knife to remove the doors and windows to achieve a clean cut. Transfer the parchment with the gingerbread house pieces to a flat surface and allow to cool completely before removing from the parchment. For larger or more detailed houses it is helpful to allow the baked gingerbread to rest uncovered overnight.
- For the advanced gingerbread house mansion: To make the windows, separate the hard candies by color and use a rolling pin to gently crush them in a resealable plastic bag. Transfer the candies to separate silicone baking cups or microwave-safe bowls and microwave on high in 20-second increments, stirring with a skewer in between, until melted, 30 to 60 seconds. Place a clean piece of parchment under each window, then pour the melted candy into the window holes and let cool, 1 to 2 minutes. Use a cutter of your choice to gently press a design into the windows and let cool completely, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Assemble the gingerbread house or mansion and decorative elements as directed and allow the icing to dry completely overnight before decorating.
SIMPLE GINGERBREAD HOUSE
Bake a gingerbread house with our simple biscuit recipe and design template. Get the kids involved, too, and weave some magical Christmas memories
Provided by Jane Hornby
Categories Afternoon tea, Dessert, Treat
Time 1h12m
Yield Makes 1 house with 12 portions
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Melt the butter, sugar and syrup in a pan. Mix the flour, bicarbonate of soda and ground ginger into a large bowl, then stir in the butter mixture to make a stiff dough. If it won't quite come together, add a tiny splash of water.
- Cut out the template (download from the tips below). Put a sheet of baking paper on a work surface and roll about one quarter of the dough to the thickness of two £1 coins. Cut out one of the sections, then slide the gingerbread, still on its baking paper, onto a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, re-rolling the trimmings, until you have two side walls, a front and back wall and two roof panels. Any leftover dough can be cut into Christmas trees, if you like.
- Pick out the most intact flaked almonds and gently poke them into the roof sections, pointy-end first, to look like roof tiles. Bake all the sections for 12 mins or until firm and just a little darker at the edges. Leave to cool for a few minutes to firm up, then trim around the templates again to give clean, sharp edges. Leave to cool completely.
- Put the egg whites in a large bowl, sift in the icing sugar, then stir to make a thick, smooth icing. Spoon into a piping bag with a medium nozzle. Pipe generous snakes of icing along the wall edges, one by one, to join the walls together. Use a small bowl to support the walls from the inside, then allow to dry, ideally for a few hours.
- Once dry, remove the supports and fix the roof panels on. The angle is steep so you may need to hold these on firmly for a few mins until the icing starts to dry. Dry completely, ideally overnight. To decorate, pipe a little icing along the length of 20 mini chocolate fingers and stick these lengthways onto the side walls of the house. Use three, upright, for the door.
- Using the icing, stick sweets around the door and on the front of the house. To make the icicles, start with the nozzle at a 90-degree angle to the roof and squeeze out a pea-sized blob of icing. Keeping the pressure on, pull the nozzle down and then off - the icing will pull away, leaving a pointy trail. Repeat all around the front of the house. Cut the chocolate mini roll or dipped Flake on an angle, then fix with icing to make a chimney. Pipe a little icing around the top. If you've made gingerbread trees, decorate these now, too, topping each with a silver ball, if using. Dust the roof with icing sugar for a snowy effect. Lay a winding path of sweets, and fix gingerbread trees around and about using blobs of icing. Your gingerbread house will be edible for about a week.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 636 calories, Fat 30 grams fat, SaturatedFat 13 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 80 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 38 grams sugar, Fiber 2 grams fiber, Protein 10 grams protein, Sodium 0.6 milligram of sodium
GINGERBREAD FOR GINGERBREAD HOUSE KIT
This Gingerbread recipe for the Gingerbread House Kit is adapted from "Martha Stewart Living" (December 1995). It makes for a tasty base for a holiday treat.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Dessert & Treats Recipes Cookie Recipes
Yield Makes enough for 5 small house kits
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and baking powder; set aside.
- In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Mix in spices and salt. Beat in eggs and molasses.
- Add flour mixture; mix on low speed until thoroughly combined. Divide dough into thirds and wrap in plastic. Chill for at least 1 hour.
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. On a well-floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes, or using template instructions, if desired. Place dough shapes on ungreased baking sheets; chill until firm, about 15 minutes. Bake 15 minutes, or until gingerbread is firm in the center, but not dark around the edges.
- Click here for our Gingerbread House template and Gingerbread House Kit instructions.
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- To make the dough: In a large saucepan, heat the buttermilk and butter until the butter is just melted; remove from the heat., Add the brown sugar and molasses, then beat in the egg., Whisk the baking soda, spices, and salt with 1 cup of the flour., Add this to the wet mixture and mix until incorporated., Add flour 1 cup at a time until you have a smooth, stiff dough.
- It should be stiff enough to be flexible, and neither crumbly nor sticky., Divide the dough in half, flatten each half, and wrap in plastic.
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour., Preheat the oven to 350°F., Using a quarter of the dough at a time (return the unused portion to the refrigerator), roll the dough 1/8" thick on a piece of parchment., Cut your construction pieces as needed, pulling away the scraps to be re-rolled.
- Transfer the dough, parchment and all, to a baking sheet., Bake the dough for 10 to 12 minutes, until set and very lightly browned at the edges., Remove from the oven and trim any rough edges while the pieces are still warm.
GINGERBREAD HOUSE RECIPE - SALLY'S BAKING ADDICTION
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4.3/5 (78)Category Dessert
- Print out my Sally’s Baking Addiction Gingerbread House Template and cut out the shapes. Set aside for step 6.
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar together on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg, molasses, and water on high speed. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine. On low speed, slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined. Cookie dough will be very thick.
- Divide cookie dough in half, flatten into discs (about 4-5 inches in diameter), and wrap each tightly in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours or up to 3 days.
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Top Asked Questions
How to make gingerbread house?
Gingerbread House: In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, molasses, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and baking soda together until the mixture is smooth. Blend in the flour and water to make a stiff dough. Chill at least 30 minutes or until firm. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.How do you make gingerbread dough with a stand mixer?
Directions Make the gingerbread dough: Sift together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, cloves and salt into a large bowl. Set aside. Combine the butter, shortening, brown sugar and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.Can you eat plain gingerbread?
Note that this gingerbread is quite plain, as it's not really designed to be eaten. For bolder flavor, double the amounts of cinnamon and ginger, and increase the amount of salt to 1 1/4 teaspoons.How do you make gingerbread cookies in the oven?
Sift together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, cloves, and salt. Working in batches, and mixing after each addition just until combined, add the flour mixture to the butter-sugar mixture. Shape the dough into a thick disk, wrap in waxed paper, and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease 2 cookie sheets.