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by Jan
GINGERBREAD HOUSE MAKING IS A WONDERFUL, SATISFYING, CREATIVE ENDEAVOR. YOU'LL GET MORE SATISFACTION FROM THIS THAN CAKE MAKING BECAUSE IT DOESN'T GET EATEN UP HOURS AFTER IT IS COMPLETED.
THIS IS NOT A HOUSE FOR A BEGINNER - BUT THE DIRECTIONS ARE CLEAR ENOUGH ,I HOPE, THAT YOU WOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO BUILD A SIMPLE HOUSE AND CONTINUE EACH YEAR TO IMPROVE YOUR SKILLS.
FIRST YOU NEED A PLAN--
FOUR WALLS AND A ROOF--
IT CAN BE AS SIMPLE AS THAT.
Cut out a pattern starting with two rectangle side walls. Cut two end walls with the sides being equal to the height of your first two pieces and add peaks on top of them. Now place them together and cut two roof pieces with overhang on all sides except the top. (Look out the window and notice a building nearby.) I could give you measurements - but if you do this on your own you'll realize that there's no absolute right size for a gingerbread house and your creative juices will be awakened!!
You can do it.
Here's my pattern:
Needless to say, this represents many hours of figuring. Gingerbread houses can be as simple or complicated as you want to make them.
Second you need the gingerbread: Here's a great recipe:
GINGERBREAD DOUGH
1 Cup shortening
2 Cups molasses
1/2 C warm water
8 Cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3 tsp. baking powder
3 tsp. ginger
1 1/4 tsp. salt
Melt shortening, add molasses and 1/2 C warm water. Mix in dry ingredients until smooth. Roll out to 1/8-inch thickness. (I roll with a sheet of wax paper on top. Cut out patterns and bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.
You will end up kneeding this dough to get it smooth --- it is very forgiving - you can kneed, roll out, pick up scraps, and use the scraps just as if it was new dough. No waste - lots of walls and pieces.
Work the gingerbread dough smooth with your hands. Roll out a small portion at a time using as little flour as possible. Place the pieces on flat sheet pans lined with parchment paper and place in refrigerator. When dough is firm place patterns on top and cut using a sharp thin knife. Bake the pieces at 375º until they are dark and done. Like size pieces should be placed on the same cookie sheet as larger pieces will take longer to cook than small ones. When gingerbread is cool, trim as necessary.
Third you'll have to put it together. There are two ways to do this. One is with Royal Icing which has to harden between steps and does have a rejection factor with the gingerbread because of the grease in the gingerbread. The other is the boiled sugar syrup which is more permanent and fast setting.
ROYAL ICING
4 CUPS CONFECTIONERS SUGAR
3 TBSP. MERINGUE POWDER
5 TBSP. WATER
COMBINE IN LARGE BOWL OF MIXER AND WHIP AT MEDIUM SPEED UNTIL THE CONSISTENCY OF HEAVY-WEIGHT MARSHMALLOW FLUFF.
IT IS IMPERATIVE TO HAVE CLEAN-GREASE FREE- TOOLS. GREASE BREAKS DOWN ROYAL ICING.
KEEP ROYAL ICING COVERED ALL THE TIME YOU ARE WORKING WITH IT.
BOILED SUGAR
COOK TO 310º
2 1/2 CUPS SUGAR
2 TSP. CORN SYRUP
POUR BOILED SUGAR IN STRIPS ON PARCHMENT PAPER OR SILPAT MATS
STRIPS CAN BE MELTED INDIVIDUALLY TO USE AS GLUE FOR GINGERBREAD.
BOILED SUGAR "glue"
You can reheat this "glue" in the microwave-BUT PAY ATTENTION !
TOOLS
HERE YOU SEE 3 ROLLING PINS, PIZZA CUTTER, THIN KNIFE, EXACTO KNIFE AND A SPATULA--ALL WILL COME IN HANDY AT ONE JOB OR ANOTHER.
UNIFORM THICKNESS
To get thickness uniform, use guides beside the dough to keep the rolling pin from thinning out the edges of the gingerbread.
After the dough has been rolled out on parchment and chilled, lay your patterns on it and cut out your pieces--removing the extra dough around the pieces and leaving the usable shape on the parchment. Bake till done. Sounds uninformative - but all sizes will require different times. Be sure they are baked all the way thru. This is not for eating --but for display so soft is not where it's at.
Windows can be cut out before or after baking - I prefer to cut mine out after they come out of the oven while the gingerbread is still warm. I placed the pattern back on the gingerbread and cut with an exacto knife.
Fourth you'll need windows. I used hard candy without coloring and poured into the window areas while the gingerbread was flat on a tinfoil lined cookie sheet.
RECIPE FOR HARD CANDY
2 CUPS GRANULATED SUGAR
2/3 CUPS LIGHT CORN SYRUP
3/4 CUP WATER
MIX TOGETHER IN HEAVY TWO QUART SAUCEPAN OVER HIGH HEAT. WASH DOWN SIDES OF PAN TO REMOVE ANY SUGAR CRYSTALS, INSERT THERMOMETER, BOIL TO HARD CRACK STAGE - 300º. I'VE FOUND THAT REMOVAL AT 297º WORKS FOR ME. THE CANDY WILL CLIMB TO 300º OR EVEN HIGHER OFF THE HEAT. THERE IS A VERY FINE POINT WHERE HARD CRACK AND BURN MEET. :( WAIT UNTIL THE BUBBLES STOP RISING TO THE TOP OF THE CANDY BEFORE POURING.
FIFTH STEP IS TO FIT THE PIECES TOGETHER AND DO WHATEVER CUTTING AND SHAVING IS NECESSARY TO MAKE THEM FIT PROPERLY.
SIXTH step is to finish the inside of any pieces that will be seen. This house is unusual in that the entire inside was finished - but lots of houses have a bit of inside showing - perhaps a Christmas tree or other point of interest.
Here you see some furnishings: bed, dressing table, chair, mirror, front door, fireplace and glue bottle replica
ALSO WHILE THE PIECES ARE FLAT THE OUTSIDE CAN BE DECORATED.
SEVENTH THE REAL CHALLENGE BEGINS. HERE'S WHERE YOU START PUTTING THE BUILDING TOGETHER. NOTICE THAT I HAVE BOXES, CANS, ANYTHING STURDY HOLDING THE WALLS UP STRAIGHT WHILE THE "GLUE" DRIES.
MAKING SURE IT IS LEVEL
EIGHTH JOB IS THE ROOF. AFTER ATTACHING THE GINGERBREAD ROOF INDIVIDUAL SHINGLES WERE PUT ON WITH ROYAL ICING. THESE SHINGLES HAD BEEN MADE IN THREE SHADES OF GREEN ON WAX PAPER A FEW DAYS BEFORE AND ALLOWED TO HARDEN.
FINISHING TOUCHES ARE TO COVER THE BOARD TO LOOK LIKE A TABLECLOTH AND ADD MY "ACTION THEME PROPS".
THE ACTION GOING ON HERE IS:
THIS DOLL HOUSE IS BEING DECORATED BY A LITTLE GIRL FOR CHRISTMAS. SHE'S EATING CHRISTMAS COOKIES AND SHE DOESN'T LIKE RAISINS.
IT REALLY WAS FUN !
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