Below are instructions for making a Gingerbread House from scratch. For photos of Gingerbread Houses, see the previous post. If you need a pattern, email me about getting one at larulew@gmail.com.
Thanks to the Kovac clan for introducing me to this tradition!
HOW TO MAKE THE DOUGH:
5 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon nutmeg
3 teaspoons ginger
1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup Grandma’s Unsulphured Molasses
Sift together flour, soda, salt, nutmeg and ginger. Melt shortening in saucepan large enough for mixing dough. Add sugar and molasses, mix well. Gradually stir in 4 cups flour mixture. Work in remaining flour mixture with hands. Divide dough into 3 equal portions. Form each portion into a ball.
HOW TO ROLL, CUT AND BAKE:
1. Place each ball on ungreased sheet. Place a damp towel underneath baking sheet to prevent sliding. Roll into a rectangle 1/4-inch thick. Tip: if gingerbread is too crumbly, add a few drops of water at a time until it is softens and holds together.
2. Lay pattern of house on dough, with front and back walls on first rolled portion of dough; two sides end to end on second portion; and roof on third portion. Cut through dough on all lines of pattern with pointed knife. Do not remove windows or doors. Remove all excess dough from around sides of pattern; reserve. Tip: to keep your original pattern sheet in tack and to also make sturdier templates for use on top of dough, Xerox your pattern into smaller parts; lay them on top of a manila folder or other cardboard; and trace and cut your pattern from the cardboard.
HOW TO MAKE THE DOUGH:
5 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon nutmeg
3 teaspoons ginger
1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup Grandma’s Unsulphured Molasses
Sift together flour, soda, salt, nutmeg and ginger. Melt shortening in saucepan large enough for mixing dough. Add sugar and molasses, mix well. Gradually stir in 4 cups flour mixture. Work in remaining flour mixture with hands. Divide dough into 3 equal portions. Form each portion into a ball.
HOW TO ROLL, CUT AND BAKE:
1. Place each ball on ungreased sheet. Place a damp towel underneath baking sheet to prevent sliding. Roll into a rectangle 1/4-inch thick. Tip: if gingerbread is too crumbly, add a few drops of water at a time until it is softens and holds together.
2. Lay pattern of house on dough, with front and back walls on first rolled portion of dough; two sides end to end on second portion; and roof on third portion. Cut through dough on all lines of pattern with pointed knife. Do not remove windows or doors. Remove all excess dough from around sides of pattern; reserve. Tip: to keep your original pattern sheet in tack and to also make sturdier templates for use on top of dough, Xerox your pattern into smaller parts; lay them on top of a manila folder or other cardboard; and trace and cut your pattern from the cardboard.
3. Roll out excess dough 1/4-inch thick. Use to cut out Santa Claus, chimney pieces, and easels for trees. If desired, any remaining dough may be used for fence, flagstones and gate.
4. Bake in moderate oven (375° 13 to 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from oven. While hot, with point of knife, retrace outline of windows and door. If necessary, cut house edges to straighten. Do not remove from baking sheets until cold. Remove with spatula: remove windows and doors. Tip: use your window and door pieces for a fence, walkway, etc.
Tip: You should let your gingerbread pieces dry out and harden for about one week before you start assembling the house. Place them in a cardboard box on drying racks or separated by pieces of cardboard. Do not put them in an air-tight container.
HOW TO ASSEMBLE AND DECORATE THE HOUSE:
1. Have Ornamental Frosting prepared. (Recipe is below, along with an alternative recipe.) Use cake decorator or paper cornucopia to put together and decorate house (pastry bag with tips). If desired, a portion of the frosting may be colored with vegetable food coloring to decorate house, Santa Claus and trees (you can also use colored sugar).
2. Have display board ready (bread board or tray) approximately 26 inches 16 inches.
3. Join the 4 walls by applying frosting to the edges. Hold in place a few minutes to set. When wall are firm, attach roof, one side at a time, chimney pieces and door in same fashion. When frosting is firm, decorate roof, chimney, window and door. Decorate Santa Claus before attaching to roof.
Tips:
- decorate the walls of the house before assembling, and let dry
- if you’d like to put a Christmas tree inside the house, do so before putting the sides and roof on
- make sure you put icing on the bottom of the wall pieces
- I like to let the walls dry for a day or so before putting the roof on
- The frosting dries like cement, but can be dissolved with water for cleanup
4. Decorate trees with frosting festoons, small cinnamon and silver candies. Arrange trees with easel backs around house in small mounds of frosting, holding until set. (If made, place cookies for flagstone, fence and gate in small mounds of frosting around house.)
5. Cover area surrounding by making more frosting and spreading that for snow.
Ornamental Frosting Recipe
2-1/2 to 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Sift together confectioners’ sugar and cream of tartar; add egg whites and vanilla. Beat with an electric beater or wooden spoon until frosting holds its shape. Cover with a damp cloth when not in use.
Decorating Frosting Recipe (a no egg-white alternative)
This recipe uses Meringue Powder for those who would rather not use raw egg whites.
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon meringue powder
4 cups powdered sugar (Confectioners 10X)
1/2 cup warm water
Beat water, meringue powder until foamy. Add sugar gradually until all sugar is incorporated. Then beat, on highest speed, for at least 5-7 minutes. Icing should stand in 3-4 inch peaks on spatula knife. If icing begins to fall slightly after lengthy use, simply rewhip.
Tip: Meringue powder can be bought at a bakery supply story, or Joann’s Fabrics.
Supply List (in addition to recipe ingredients)
- Cookie sheets
- Drying racks
- Rolling pin
- Flour Sifter
- House pattern made from instruction sheet
- Display board (bread board or tray) approximately 26 inches 16 inches
I just ordered some good trays from United States Plastics Corp., www.usplastic.com. Once on their website, look for the White High Impact Styrene Tray 17-3/4" x 25 -1/2" x 1"
Pastry bag and tips. A large cutting board or piece of plywood will also work.
- Candy to decorate house
If you want to use Necco Wafers for the roof, you can find them at most dollar stores like Dollar Tree. It takes four 2-0z. packs to do one roof.
The following can be found at Joanne Fabrics:
- Wilton Meringue Powder
- Wilton 8-Icing Colors Set
- Wilton 8-Icing Colors Set
- Wilton Basic Decorating Set
