cakesdusoleil: Gingerbread House Baking Tips

This is the first in a series of three Gingerbread House Tutorials.
Here are a few baking tips for your Gingerbread, along with a few patterns for your convenience.

Gingerbread House Recipe

1/3 cup soft shortening
1cup brown sugar, packed
1-1/2 cups dark molasses
2/3 cup cold water
7 cups flour
2 tsps. Baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. cinnamon

Mix shortening, brown sugar, and molasses thoroughly.
Stir in water, Blend all dry ingredients; stir in. Chill dough.

A few tips for rolling out gingerbread:

Once your dough is chilled, it is easier to manage.
Cut dough in half.

Cut parchment to fit an 10X15” jellyroll pan.
Spray pan and paper with a light coat of nonstick spray.

Form dough into a rectangle, then roll out on a floured silicone mat.

Roll with equal pressure from the center of the dough to the ends.

Flip the rolled dough onto the paper lined jellyroll pan;
Make a 10X15 solid cookie by rolling the dough to 1/8” thickness.

Place your pattern on the dough and score with a pizza cutter.

Keep your cutter clean while working.

After tracing pattern pieces, leave all dough in place
to prevent dough from spreading or changing shape while baking.

For the porch pillars, just roll out dough into two 1/2" diameter logs.

Using a toothpick, score a light indention or two on the logs to create a bit of interest.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Bake gingerbread 7-8 minute just until edges begin to brown slightly.

Remove from oven and and lightly roll hot gingerbread to flatten our any humps from baking.

Re-score on scored lines while gingerbread is still quite warm

Work quickly and carefully.

If the dough cools too much the pieces will crack, however dough can easily be cut while hot.

Nest carefully place the parchment paper with the scored gingerbread onto a baking rack to cool completely.

When cooled, remove from the parchment paper and allow the bread to set for a 24 hour period to harden.
Allow to harden at least one day before attempting to piece house together.

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Below are a few patterns just to get you started.
Cut your patterns from cardboard or foam core and assemble with tape beforehand, especially if you are adding
elements to your structure, such as a porch, vestibule, gables or any other addition you want to create.

This step makes it easier to envision your assembly when constructing with gingerbread and sugar and well worth the extra time.