Gingerbread House

http://brownsugarbee.blogspot.com/2009/03/gingerbread-house.html

A gingerbread house in March you ask?

This house was made by my husband Arka and I during the holidays.  Here is a long overdue post that I would like to share with food bloggers.  Enjoy!!

A five day tedious process proves worthwhile!!  However, given the inaccuracy of gingerbread engineering, I am not sure that Arka and I will be able to top this one off next year.  But then again, perhaps the inspiration will return.  :)

Good enough to eat, but hasn't been eaten.  This house is in perfect condition and currently sits in the living room, stale, and continues to impress guests and family members.  

The house consists of gingerbread dough and sugar icing.  I've seen several gingerbread homes with globs of icing and disorganized colored candy, but few continue to artistically inspire me.  I wanted to create a home that looked like a home, and not just a home covered in artificial candy.  

For this, it was necessary to sculpt the house prior to baking, to get a wood-like quality to the dough.  Each part was individually measured, textured, baked, re-sculptured, and assembled.  The square windows were made with dried papaya and pineapple slices, and the rose window was created with a transparent disc of caramelized sugar.  The chimney was formed with a cinnamon stick surrounded by chopped walnuts and the interior was lit with votive candles.  

Whew... I feel tired just thinking about that process!

Ingredients:

• 6 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 4 tsp ground ginger
• 4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves or allspice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 sticks butter or margarine
• 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs or equivalent egg replacer
• 1 cup dark molasses
• 1 tbsp water

Method:

1. Whisk dry ingredients together.
2. Beat butter and sugar using an electric mixer until fluffy.  Add eggs, molasses and water and beat again.
3. Beat half of the flour mixture into molasses mixture until smooth.  Stir in the remaining flour and mix well.  You may need to add flour if the dough is too soft.
4. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.  Let mixture sit for at least 10 minutes before rolling out.

Once the gingerbread pieces are rolled, cut, shaped and textured, bake at 350 degrees F.  Bake 11-15 minutes for large pieces, and 6-8 minutes for small pieces.  Allow pieces to cool for 15 minutes before assembly. 

Icing:

• 2 large egg whites
• 2 2/3 cup powdered sugar

Use this icing as a construction adhesive to hold the gingerbread house pieces together.  I also used it as a decorative element to create the snowy rooftops.  

Decorate as desired!!

The remaining dough was used to make small gingerbread cookies.  Wouldn't want to let it go to waste!! :)