Gingerbread House Recipe
Ingredients
| Honey | 3 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| Water | 1 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| Butter | 1/2 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| Rye flour | 6 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| White flour | 4 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| Candied lemon peel | 1/2 Cup (16 tbs), finley diced | |
| Candied orange peel | 1/2 Cup (16 tbs), finley diced | |
| Ground cinnamon | 6 Teaspoon | |
| Cardamom | 1 3/4 Teaspoon | |
| Ground cloves | 1 Teaspoon | |
| Ground ginger | 1 1/4 Teaspoon | |
| Baking soda | 2 Tablespoon | |
| Egg whites | 2 | |
| Powdered sugar | 3 1/2 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| Lemon juice | 2 Tablespoon | |
| Colored sugar sprinkles or nonpareils | ||
| Almonds and candied cherries | ||
Directions
Bring the honey, water, and butter to the boil, stirring; let cool.
Sift the flour onto a pastry board and scatter the candied lemon and orange peel, spices, and baking soda over it.
Make a depression in the center and pour in the almost completely cooled honey.
Knead these ingredients to a smoothly elastic dough, then thoroughly work the soda into the dough.
Let the dough rest overnight, covered, in refrigerator.
It is best to cut out cardboard patterns for the gingerbread house.
With these, you can put together a test house that can be altered if you don't like it.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. (200°C).
For the front of the house roll out 25 ropes 3/8 inch (1 cm) thick and 11 inches (27 cm) long.
Lay them next to each other leaving a little room in between each (they will bake together creating a log cabin effect) on a butter baking sheet.
Lay the cardboard pattern over the "logs" and pre-cut the front (do not cut out the door and window at this time).
Repeat the same procedure for the back of the house and the sides.
For the sides, roll out 6 ropes 3/8 inch (1 cm) thick and 8 inches (20 cm) long.
You may have to use several baking sheets, or if you only have one, bake as many parts of the house at one time as you can.
Bake on center shelf until nicely browned, 15 to 20 minutes.
Loosen dough from baking sheet.
For front of the house cut out the window and door while still warm (the doors will be set in place and reattached later).
Let all pieces cool thoroughly before assembly.
For the roof and the base, roll out the dough no more than 3/16 inch (1/2 cm) to the approximate size of each.
Pre-cut the dough using pattern and transfer to buttered baking sheet.
Pierce at 1-inch (2 1/2-cm) intervals with a fork, and bake about 12 to 15 minutes on the center shelf until brown.
The picket fence and the rectangular roof decorations can be rolled out somewhat thinner, pre-cut and baked in the same fashion as the roof and base. (Use your imagination and create your own designs for the remaining dough.)
Mix the egg whites and powdered sugar to form a thick icing; thin with a little lemon juice if necessary.
Use icing to "glue" the house together.
The roof should be attached with a few toothpicks.
Put remaining icing in a pastry bag fitted with a fine tip, and decorate the house with this and with colored sugar sprinkles, almonds, candied cherries.
Sift the flour onto a pastry board and scatter the candied lemon and orange peel, spices, and baking soda over it.
Make a depression in the center and pour in the almost completely cooled honey.
Knead these ingredients to a smoothly elastic dough, then thoroughly work the soda into the dough.
Let the dough rest overnight, covered, in refrigerator.
It is best to cut out cardboard patterns for the gingerbread house.
With these, you can put together a test house that can be altered if you don't like it.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. (200°C).
For the front of the house roll out 25 ropes 3/8 inch (1 cm) thick and 11 inches (27 cm) long.
Lay them next to each other leaving a little room in between each (they will bake together creating a log cabin effect) on a butter baking sheet.
Lay the cardboard pattern over the "logs" and pre-cut the front (do not cut out the door and window at this time).
Repeat the same procedure for the back of the house and the sides.
For the sides, roll out 6 ropes 3/8 inch (1 cm) thick and 8 inches (20 cm) long.
You may have to use several baking sheets, or if you only have one, bake as many parts of the house at one time as you can.
Bake on center shelf until nicely browned, 15 to 20 minutes.
Loosen dough from baking sheet.
For front of the house cut out the window and door while still warm (the doors will be set in place and reattached later).
Let all pieces cool thoroughly before assembly.
For the roof and the base, roll out the dough no more than 3/16 inch (1/2 cm) to the approximate size of each.
Pre-cut the dough using pattern and transfer to buttered baking sheet.
Pierce at 1-inch (2 1/2-cm) intervals with a fork, and bake about 12 to 15 minutes on the center shelf until brown.
The picket fence and the rectangular roof decorations can be rolled out somewhat thinner, pre-cut and baked in the same fashion as the roof and base. (Use your imagination and create your own designs for the remaining dough.)
Mix the egg whites and powdered sugar to form a thick icing; thin with a little lemon juice if necessary.
Use icing to "glue" the house together.
The roof should be attached with a few toothpicks.
Put remaining icing in a pastry bag fitted with a fine tip, and decorate the house with this and with colored sugar sprinkles, almonds, candied cherries.
Chef
