Gingerbread Houses

Gingerbread houses and Christmas just go together and making them is lots of fun for young and old, with lots of candy snitching!  Here is the recipe for gingerbread and the frosting.  The cookie cutters are from Wilton and can be purchased at Michael's at the beginning of the season.



Gingerbread

1 cup molasses

1 cup shortening

1 egg

1 cup sugar

1 t. vanilla

2 t. soda dissolved in ½ cup warm water

6 cups flour

1 t. salt

1 t. cinnamon

½ t. cloves

½ t. ginger

Bring molasses and shortening to a boil and simmer 2 minutes.  Cool.  Cream egg, sugar and vanilla.  Add soda and water.  Mix flour, salt and spices.  Add dry ingredients and molasses mixture alternately to the sugar mixture.  Mix well.

On a floured surface, roll out dough to ¼ inch thick.  Cut into desired shapes and place on greased baking tray.  Bake at 375º for 6 to 8 minutes.  If making house pieces, bake 10 minutes.

This recipe makes enough for 1 large house.  If the dough becomes stiff while rolling it out, put it on a plate and warm in the microwave for 30 to 60 seconds.

 Hard Royal Frosting

4 egg whites (about ½ cup)

1/8 t. cream of tartar

5-7 cups powdered sugar

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until very stiff.  Add the powdered sugar a little at a time until the frosting is firm but not too stiff.