Pink & Minty Gingerbread Home

~ Peppermint snowfall ~

~ Minty Landscaping ~

~ Knock, knock. Burnt gingerbread tiles ~

~ Her minty frosty backside ~

~ Nighttime ~

~ Yep, I'm still beaming ~

The December 2009 Daring Baker's Challenge ~ Gingerbread houses! Wheeeeeee! This month was hosted by Anna of Very Small Anna and Y of Lemonpi. A very fine seasonal choice, Ladies.

I don't recall ever making a gingerbread house in my life. I state that as if I am 83 and recalling Christmases past. In reality, I'm 46, perimenopausal with young children. I'm happy to remember I like gingerbread.

This is a spice dough. I was out of ginger. Oy, I'm only a baker, ya know. A slightly disorganized one. I can't say I was crazy about the recipe I used, but I have no intention of eating this house. I might shellac the darn thing and bring it out every year. (kidding) I'm listing the recipe because it's what I do. The recipe matches the post, excitement or not. It was easy to fall apart after rolling, challenging to transfer to a baking sheet. It's easier if you roll it out on parchment, then cut. Because every challenge has good in it, here is what is nice about this rather finicky dough....it bakes up very nicely, hardens beautifully, it's a sturdy dough, hard rather than crisp, if rolled thin.

The dough ~

5 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. cayenne
1 c. sugar
1 c. butter
1 c. molasses
1/2 c. water
1 tsp. vanilla

• Mix dry ingredients.
• Add butter, sugar, molasses, water and vanilla. Mix using paddle attachment.
• Chill overnight.
  
• Roll out thinly, 1/8" if you are comfortable with that.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 12-16 minutes depending on size of cut out. Longer if rolled thicker.
• Let cool completely.

Icing ~

1 lb. 2 oz. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. creme of tarter
2 1/2 Tablespoons merigue powder
3 oz. water

• Add water to merigue powder, mix well.
• Add creme of tarter, mix well.
• Add powdered sugar.
• Mix on lowest setting for a few minutes.
• If you continue to mix this after it becomes fluid and creamy, it will get stiffer, which is a nice and different consistency. The back of my gingerbread house shows the difference, frosting rather than icing or flooding consistency.

I glued the pieces together with caramel. This can be found here, it sure was handy instead of using stiff royal icing as glue, quicker and only one person needed to hold pieces. I halved the recipe.

I'm actually proud of my little gingerbread home. I think I was beaming...I still might be.

Merry Christmas ~ it isn't over yet!

Toodles ~
xoxo