Creating a charming gingerbread cottage doesn't have to be difficult - just take the lead from an expert in cookie construction, Karen Luessenheide. Luessenheide's house won a blue ribbon in the Brer Rabbit Molasses Gingerbread House Contest at the Minnesota State Fair, one of seven contests across the country. Her winning gingerbread recipe is sure to help you get started. Then use your imagination to create your own holiday house.
Thoroughly blend flour, soda, salt and spices. Melt shortening in large saucepan. Add sugar, molasses, and eggs; mix well. Cool, then add four cups of the blended dry ingredients and mix well. Preheat oven to 350°F
Turn mixture onto lightly floured surface. Knead in remaining dry ingredients by hand. Add a little more flour, if necessary, to make a firm dough.
Roll out dough on the backs of lightly oiled cookie sheets. Time baking according to thickness of rolled dough. For large pieces,1/8-inch thick, bake as long as 14 minutes. For smaller pieces, rolled thinly, six or seven minutes may be enough. Check frequently to avoid over-browning. Remove from cookie sheets to wire racks with a large spatula. Cool about 30 minutes. Then cover a flat surface with paper toweling and place baked pieces on it to dry overnight.
Wrap unused dough tightly in a plastic bag and refrigerate to keep for weeks. Bring to room temperature and knead briefly to use again.
Yield: Enough for one large house with some leftover for cookies.
Royal Icing:
Use as "glue" to assemble gingerbread house structure, and for piping decorative trims. Beat with a stationary electric mixer. This is fast drying; keep bowl covered with a damp cloth.
Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until frothy. Continue beating while adding enough powdered sugar to make icing thick enough to form stiff peaks, beating at high speed when ingredients are blended. Store leftover icing, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for weeks. Rebeat before using again.
View line-by-line Nutrition Insights™: Discover which ingredients contribute the calories/sodium/etc.
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Serving Size: 1 Recipe (2202g) | ||
Recipe Makes: 1 Serving | ||
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Calories: 8922 | ||
Calories from Fat: 3959 (44%) | ||
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Amt Per Serving | % DV | |
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Total Fat 439.9g | 587 % | |
Saturated Fat 223.5g | 1118 % | |
Monounsaturated Fat 151.7g | ||
Polyunsanturated Fat 34.9g | ||
Cholesterol 1064.8mg | 328 % | |
Sodium 9795.9mg | 338 % | |
Potassium 6195.7mg | 163 % | |
Total Carbohydrate 1169.7g | 344 % | |
Dietary Fiber 20.4g | 82 % | |
Sugars, other 1149.3g | ||
Protein 89.7g | 128 % | |
Powered by: USDA Nutrition Database Disclaimer: Nutrition facts are derived from linked ingredients (shown at left in colored bullets) and may or may not be complete. Always consult a licensed nutritionist or doctor if you have a nutrition-related medical condition. |
Calories per serving: 8922
Get detailed nutrition information, including item-by-item nutrition insights, so you can see where the calories, carbs, fat, sodium and more come from.
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