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

Nutmeg Cannolipoleon ~

Coming home after Thanksgiving dinner at a friends (it was very nice, thank you) I was taking a peek at Foodgawker and I noticed a Daring Baker's Challenge photo. I realized that this would be my first time to join along after registering in October. Then it hit my disorganized mind that The Daring Kitchen is not my personal secretary...there would be no email reminder that the challenge is posted. Duh me. I went to the site to take a little closer look at the details. I found out with a day's notice that I had until the 27th to do the challenge or say I wouldn't be participating. I didn't want to miss the first opportunity.

Guess what I did today? :) I made a nutmeg cannolipoleon.
Just one. Got the picture. Got the post done in time. Thank goodness for a weekend alone.


Daring Bakers November 2009 challenge hosted by Lisa Michele of Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drives


1 c. flour
2 T. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cocoa powder
2 T. sugar
1/4 c. sweet wine

• In a mixer, put in dry ingredients.
• Mix the oil, vinegar and enough wine to make a soft dough.
• Turn out and kneed lightly until smooth.
• Chill for two hours or for as long as overnight.

Roll out dough a quarter at time either by rolling pin or pasta machine. 1/16" or less. Cut out desired pieces, keep covered.

Heat at least 3" of oil to 375 degrees. Fry pieces one or two at a time depending on the room in the pan. These will fry up pretty quickly. Drain on paper towels.

The filling isn't traditional as far as I can tell from what I've read online. An Italian in New York might want to slap me, but I really wanted the flavor of some cream cheese.

Filling ~

4 oz. ricotta, whole milk
4 oz. cream cheese
3/4 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Nutmeg to preference


If you prefer something lighter, whip some heavy cream and fold into the nutmeg cream.