Gingerbread House : Phase 2

Our gingerbread church is finished in plenty of time for Christmas!
It's really starting to feel festive around here, even though we don't have any snow! :( This afternoon we were wrapping presents, listening to Diana Krall's Christmas Songs, munching on mincemeat tarts and Danny declared:
" I feel like I'm on holidays already!"
He still has another week of work, but I guess we're just starting the festivities early. Yay! With this candy-laden church looking down on us from it's perch on top of the fridge, it's easy to remember that we are about to have a very merry little Christmas.

Chocolate covered coffee beans and raisins are among the various candies used for the church brickwork. Colored licorice edges the church and lots of icing holds everything in place.

Marshmallows were microwaved until pliable and them pressed around the house to create packed snow. Everything was then dusted with plenty of icing sugar.

Back and side view of the church. Shaved coconut acts as chunks of frozen snow on the roof.

Vanilla wafer cookies shingle the roof quite nicely. Colorful candies crust the entire tower, making it especially appealing to the children.

Solid chocolate front door to the tower and graham cracker steps.

Church tower is covered with slivered almonds and the cross is sugared spaghetti

The front doors to the church are carved from a solid bar of chocolate and a mini green licorice wreath decorates them. The graham cracker steps are freshly swept from the last snowfall. Graham crackers make up the window boxes.

Gingerbread Dough

5 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ginger
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cloves
1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 ¼ cups molasses
2 eggs, beaten

In large saucepan, melt shortening on stove over low heat. While shortening is melting, in a separate bowl stir together flour, salt and spices (if using for cookies, add 1 tsp. baking soda). When shortening is half melted, remove from heat and continue to stir until completely melted. Add sugar, molasses and beaten eggs. Mix well and quickly (to prevent eggs from cooking). Add molasses mixture to flour mixture. Mix well. Dough will be soft. Cover and refrigerate until firm enough to handle.

When dough is firm enough to handle, remove from refrigerator and let sit until room temperature (about an hour). Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To prevent aluminum foil from slipping, wipe counter with wet sponge then smooth aluminum foil over damp counter. This will prevent the foil from slipping while dough is being rolled out.

Working with a small handful of dough (about the size of a baseball), roll dough onto aluminum foil that has been sprinkled with flour. Sprinkle dough with flour to prevent dough from sticking to rolling-pin.

IF DOUGH IS TOO STIFF, MICROWAVE FOR 10-15 SECONDS TO SOFTEN THE DOUGH.

Roll dough to about 1/8” thickness. Place gingerbread house pattern pieces onto dough and cut-out dough pieces (don't forget to cut out windows). A pizza cutter works great for cutting out walls and roof sections. Remove excess dough pieces. Lift entire piece of foil and place on large cookie sheet.

Place cookie sheet in oven. Check frequently to prevent burning. Bake until golden brown. Large pieces may bake as long as 14 minutes. Smaller pieces might take 6 – 7 minutes. Unused dough may be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 weeks (bring to room temperature and knead briefly to use again). To prevent from sagging, I bake my roof sections until dark brown, almost burnt.

When dough pieces are done baking, remove baking sheet from oven. Quickly lift foil from baking sheet and place on a flat area for gingerbread pieces to cool. If pieces have distorted while baking, while still warm, run knife or pizza cutter along sides of walls/roof sections to create a straight edge. If pieces have curled up during baking, while still warm, gently push edges down to lay flat.

With gingerbread pieces still on the foil, let cool overnight. Next day – gently peel foil off of gingerbread pieces. You are now ready to assemble, or add windows!