palatable palette – shinjite's kitchen canvas

as we approach the winter months, what i look forward to is gingerbread!

my girlfriend, sj, started a tradition of gingerbread house decorating almost a decade ago before she had her daughter. the first house i decorated was an open gingerbread castle, decorating both the exterior as well as the interior with … of course … candy! now her daughter is a little girl so last year, she hosted a gingerbread house decorating party for her daughter and neighborhood kids. we were going to go to assist but at the last minute, couldn’t make it. so, my gf brought us all the pieces to decorate our own gingerbread house. so i decorated a traditional house with roof and chimney with lots of candy. it was a lot of fun!

but what i love most about gingerbread house decorating is — the gingerbread. my girlfriend makes the best gingerbread. after decorating the cake, i knock off all the candy and icing so i can just eat the gingerbread. spicy, sweet, soft — hey sj: where’s my next batch of gingerbread cookies??? can’t wait!

GINGERBREAD

Ingredients

• 7 cups all purpose flour†
• 4-1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1-1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1-1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1-1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1-1/2 cups solid vegetable shortening (can be substituted with 1-1/2 cups, or 3 sticks, of unsalted butter)
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup robust (dark) molasses‡

N.B. This is usually half of the 12 oz molasses bottle. Before starting, pour out whole bottle into small bowl so that it’s easier to pour into dough mix from bowl instead of bottle. It takes a really long time for the last half of the molasses to work its way out of the bottle.

Preparation

Preparing Dough

N.B. Should be made and kept in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours before rolling, cutting, and baking. Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.

1. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt, and ground cardamom.
2. Using electric mixer, beat shortening in large bowl at high speed for 3 minutes or until fluffy.
3. Add sugar and beat at medium speed for 1 minute to blend.
4. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing at medium speed for 30 seconds for each egg.
5. Add molasses and beat at medium speed for 30 seconds or until well blended.
6. Add dry ingredients in 4 batches, beating at low speed until dough forms.
7. Divide dough into 3 equal pieces.
8. Flatten each piece into rectangle.
9. Wrap each in plastic and refrigerate until firm enough to roll, at least 6 hours or best if left overnight.

Rolling, Cutting, and Baking – Large Pieces
(Roof, Side walls, Front and Back of House)

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Roll out one piece of dough between two 15-inch long sheets of parchment (or the length of baking sheet so that once the pattern is cut, the parchment can be easily placed onto the baking sheet) to scant ¼-inch rectangle, turning over dough and parchment occasionally.
3. Keep remaining dough refrigerated.
4. If parchment wrinkles, peel off, smooth wrinkle, and reposition parchment over dough. Continue to roll out dough to required thickness.
5. Place cardboard template of roof or of side walls or of front and back of house.
6. Using sharp knife, cut around template through top sheet of parchment.
7. Peel off parchment.
8. Pull away excess dough from around the cut piece(s). Gather, wrap, and chill dough scraps for later use.
9. Slide dough on its bottom parchment onto baking sheet.
10. Bake pieces until dry looking, firm to touch in center, and just beginning to darken around edges, about 13 minutes.
11. Slide parchment with gingerbread piece onto rack and cool completely.
12. Rinse baking sheet under cold water to cool; wipe dry.
13. Repeat steps 2 to 12 until all large pieces are done, rinsing baking sheet to cool each time.
14. Remove all baked gingerbread from parchment.

Rolling, Cutting, and Baking – Small Pieces
(Door, Window Shutters, Chimney, Gingerbread Shapes)

1. Roll out some of reserved dough scraps between sheets of parchment to 1/8-inch thickness.
2. Remove top parchment.
3. Cut out door, window shutters, and chimney pieces.
4. Cut out other decorative shapes using floured cookie cutters.
5. Using small knife as aid, pull or cut away excess dough from around door and between shapes.
6. Gather, wrap, and chill dough scraps.
7. Slide parchment with cookies onto baking sheet.
8. Bake cookies until dry looking and firm to touch, about 9 minutes. Slide parchment with cookie pieces onto rack and cool completely.
9. Rinse baking sheet under cold water to cool; wipe dry.
10. Working in batches, repeat with more reserved dough, gathering, wrapping, and chilling any dough scraps each time.
11. Remove all baked gingerbread from parchment.

ROYAL ICING

Ingredients

• 1 pounds confectioner’s sugar
• 4 tablespoon meringue powder
• 6-8 tablespoon warm water
• 3 tablespoon lemon juice (or juice of one lemon)

Preparation

1. Using electric mixer, whisk together confectioner’s sugar and meringue powder on low speed for 1 minute or until well blended.
2. Add warm water while mixer is on low speed.
3. Whisk at high speed for 6 minutes.
4. While mixing, add lemon juice. Continue whisking at high speed for 2 more minutes until stiff peaks form.
5. If icing is too stiff, add warm water 1 teaspoon at a time, and whisk at high speed until icing is easier to stir. The last thing you want is to suffer hand cramps while icing the house because the stiff icing is making it very difficult to squeeze out through the decorating tip.
6. If Royal Icing is left overnight, it should be whisked to stiff peaks before using.