Tuesday, December 08, 2009

gingerbread casa

It's that time of year again! The kids have been dying to do it, but I didn't want to spend $10-$15 on a gingerbread house kit. (yes I'm cheaper than ever!) So I figured I'd make my own gingerbread, roll it out and cut my own pieces. And WOW! My new FAVORITE way for my home to smell. Seriously, could not get over how good it smelled baking the gingerbread today! For some reason it smelled better than making gingerbread cookies.
Tip: keep the kids out of your hair while you're rolling and cutting serious business by giving them some dough to roll and form on their own. This kept Drake busy for over an hour! My stuff was in the oven, baked and cooling while he was still working his dough!
See look at his focus. He'll impress some girl some day with his cooking skillz. Then she'll have me to thank and will be forever in my debt. I'm already coming up with ways she can pay me back. wuahhahhahahah (my evil laugh)
Gwen's house front we decided looks like Monster House
We kinda spoiled our appetite for dinner by playing a little game called "One for me, one for the house".
It turned out pretty cute!
Just when you do it, make sure your measurements are exact, or you'll have spaces between pieces like this. My measurements should have been perfect! At least it all fits in my head. I think that some pieces got stretched in transferring from the counter to the cookie sheet.

Fun activity, not hard, smells good, and this might actually be a gingerbread house that we'll eat!

Gingerbread for construction
3/4 C buttermilk
6 T butter
1 C brown sugar
1/2 C molasses
1 egg
5 1/2 C flour
1 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
1 t ginger
1/2 t salt

Heat butter and buttermilk in saucepan just until butter melts. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar and molasses. Transfer to mixing bowl. Add egg, 1 C flour, soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. Mix. Add remaining flour. Will be a thick dough. Refriegerate 1 hour.
Roll 1/4" thick. Bake at 350ยบ for 15-18 minutes or until edges just start to brown.

Royal Icing
3 egg whites
1/2 t cream of tartar
4 C powdered sugar

In mixing bowl beat egg whites and cream of tartar just until stiff. Add powdered sugar gradually while mixing. Put in pastry bag and glue your pieces together.

6 comments:

Emily said...

ooh nice job!

Tawnya said...

Just gah-geous. Come over and make my dough. :D

The Sandefur's said...

Thanks for the recipe! The house is too cute! Your little ones are very creative.

Desiree Sanders said...

I am SO making this!!! and the potato soup underneath! I agree with tawnya, you should come over and make my dough!

Taylors said...

VERY cute!! where is the store do I find molasses? And I agree that Gwens little house does look like Monster House. Thanks for sharing the recipe

Chelsea said...

i've been wanting to do a house from scratch for ages but ty always talks me out of it. this year, i'm going to do it darnit! thanks for the recipe and the encouragement!