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| Spicy Gingerbread Recipe |
One of the best gingerbread recipes used in constructing your Holiday Gingerbread House! 5 cups all purpose flour 2 teaspoons ground ginger 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup shortening 1 cup sugar 1 egg 1 cup molasses 2 tablespoons vinegar In mixer, blend shortening and sugar. Next add egg, molasses and vinegar, beat well. In a separate bowl, stir together all dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients one cup at a time and mix well. Lightly flour counter top and hands. Scrape dough onto counter and mold into a ball. Add enough flour to keep the dough from being sticky (but not too much flour that the dough crumbles, or it will be difficult to roll out). When a soft round ball has been formed, place dough into a one gallon Ziplock baggy and place in the refrigerator for at least three hours (I refrigerate it overnight). The dough remains pliable for about three weeks. Baking Preheat oven to 375 Flour the counter top lightly. Divide the dough in half and place one half on the counter top and return the rest into the bag (and refrigerator) for later use. Roll out dough to about 1/4 inch. Cut out house and carefully place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for about 11 minutes. Cool on wax paper...gently trim edges while still warm. Let gingerbread sit overnight to let it "set". Meringue Royal Icing 3 level tablespoons meringue powder 1 pound confectioner's sugar 3 1/2 ounces warm water 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar Be sure all utensils are completely grease-free or the icing will break down and become "soupy." Mix powder and water until foamy. Add the rest of the ingredients. You may have to add more water or sugar until your icing if the right consistency - just stiff enough to form a peak. Put the icing in a pastry bag with a number 5 pastry nib. If you have never used a pastry bag, they can be found at any store that carries cake supplies. You will need to buy a pastry bag, small coupler and a #5 nib. The tip of the pastry bag will need to be cut to fit the coupler. Trim until the threads show when the coupler is dropped into the bag. Place the nib on the coupler and secure with the coupler ring. Hold the point of the bag in your hand and turn down the sides of the bag so you form a "cup" for your icing. Place about 1 1/2 cup icing in the bag because the bag is easier to handle when it's not completely full. Now twist the bag closed and with one hand push icing from the bottom while guiding icing with your other hand. This icing is the "cement" for your house. Place some icing on the bottom of the round base of the house and secure it to an 8" cardboard base (these can also be found at any store that carries cake supplies). Put the house together with icing at the joints and set aside for several hours. Once it has firmly set...go ahead and decorate it.  More
on GingerbreadGinger is sold fresh, ground, crystallized (candied), and pickled; the first three are used in baking. The best, palest, most delicate ginger available in America usually specifies that it's Jamaican on the bottle. Cheaper, darker gingers can be harsh. One tablespoon of minced fresh ginger is the equivalent of one-eighth to one-quarter teaspoon of ground. Ginger juice is often used in Caribbean cakes, beverages, soups, and jellies. Just simmer any amount of finely chopped or crushed fresh ginger in water to cover until the water is reduced by half. Strain and store in the refrigerator. To use, replace 1/4 cup liquid in a cake recipe with that amount of ginger juice and omit the ground ginger. Many gingerbreads contain equal amounts of ginger and either cinnamon or cloves plus smaller amounts of two or three other ground spices. Cinnamon plus smaller amounts of two or three other ground spices. Cinnamon mellows the ginger, while cloves add more intensity. Americans usually add allspice and nutmeg, Scandinavians cardamom. Ground mace or coriander and whole aniseed or caraway seeds are other possibilities. Source: Gingerbread by Linda Merinoff |
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Let's Get Cooking!
