Bake and Build

BUILD A GINGERBREAD HOUSE!

Ingredients: 9 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 - 2 cups heavy whipping cream, 3 cups brown sugar, 1/4 cup molasses, sugar, 2T baking soda, 1T ginger, Vanilla Icing (2-3 cans), Candies, Candy canes(optional) doilly(optional) OR they now have refrigerated gingerbread dough I'm trying this year!!!

Tools: Rolling pin; knives; cookie sheets

Here are PDF FILES FOR YOU TO PRINT THE PATTERNS!! Enjoy. Freehand cut the door and shutters.

-Front/Chimney

-Roof

-Side

Begin procedure by making patterns or templates out of cardboard for the pieces of the house you will need later. Next, whip the cream until is thick (not quite stiff). Add in your sugar, molasses, baking soda and ginger. Once the ingredients are mixed, gradually start putting the flour in. (Take your rings off!) Once you can no longer stir the mixture, you will massage it until it is smooth with your hands. If you have had to use the greater amount of whipping cream you will need to let the mixture rest overnight. Otherwise, you may proceed to rolling it out. You want the thickness to be consistent or the end result will be very disappointing and lumpy. It should be thin... around 1/8". By all means make your roof the thinnest since it sits on top of everything else... Make sure you spend time rolling it out evenly and nice.

For your shutters: Make knife marks top to bottom horizontally (lots of little ones). Add shutters to house with a drop of water before baking.

For the windows: It is easiest to cut four little squares and leave the "bar" in the middle rather than try to replace the window.

Bake at 300 degrees for 15 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet FLAT.

Finishing: Once it is all cooled (the next day is really best) you can get started on this. Take a tray and cover bottom with either several doilies or foil. Next, put a clump of icing on the bottom of the house front. Position it where you will want it on the tray. On the side and bottom of one of the Sides put allot of icing and attach that next to the front. Do the same with the other two pieces. Leave the four walls standing until they harden. Do not attempt to put the roof on until all is hard. There should be lots of icing(cement) between every wall. If you will want green grass or stems on flowers, add food coloring in advance to that portion that you will use. Candies can be placed (while the icing is soft) in the icing.

Start a new Christmas tradition this year with Where's My Elf Hat!

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