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Gingerbread house ideas
http://cookaholics.org/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=2637		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  BeckyH [ Tue Oct 30, 2012 1:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Gingerbread house ideas
I am setting up a gingerbread house competition for the students. We will have a week of sign up time, then we will bake and cut as many house sets as needed. The kids will get an afternoon to play with royal icing and candy, and the finished houses will be displayed and voted on for a week and the winners will get a prize.
Anyone have a template that will use an 18x24 sheet with little waste? Or one for a 1/2 sheet?
Favorite gingerbread recipes?
Should we offer the option of getting a blank sheet to cut as they desire? How about embellishments like lights? (they would have to bring their own)
Author:  talanhart [ Tue Oct 30, 2012 2:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Gingerbread house ideas
Becky,
What a great idea. I'm sorry I don't have a template for you, but please post pictures when the houses are finished.
Author:  jeanf [ Tue Oct 30, 2012 3:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Gingerbread house ideas
Here's a link to a good recipe and templates: http://www.canadianliving.com/food/ging ... houses.php

Awesome idea. I'm not sure how easily a dried slab could be cut, so I'd tend to say to make them all the same. Or allow them to pick X amount of pieces and they design their own. Have the sizes available for viewing at sign up as well as any decorations you are supplying so they can design their own house with embellishments they bring.
Make a rule about the % of house that has to be actual gingerbread to prevent them from building a monstrosity out of cardboard and attaching some gingerbread.
i think everyone bringing their own additional decorations is a great idea.

Good luck!
Author:  pepperhead212 [ Tue Oct 30, 2012 3:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Gingerbread house ideas
Becky,

You don't want my favirite gingerbread recipes! LOL
Author:  BeckyH [ Tue Oct 30, 2012 5:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Gingerbread house ideas
Yeah, my favorite eating gingerbread is pretty spicy. The stuff used for houses needs to be pretty dry and stiff. Usually you bake a sheet and cut the pieces while it's still warm. If you make a cookie type dough and cut it before baking the pieces deform in the oven.
Author:  Amy [ Tue Oct 30, 2012 7:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Gingerbread house ideas
Calling Lib!

Amy
Author:  Tim [ Wed Oct 31, 2012 9:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Gingerbread house ideas
Becky,

Lib uses Wilton's "Grandma's Gingerbread Recipe" for children. Kids like the flavor, it is easy to work with, holds up well and is simple to prepare. This supposedly makes one house, but that is dependent on thickness of the finished gingerbread and the size of the house.

Gingerbread Recipe

    5 to 5 1/2 cups AP flour (depending on humidity)
    1 tsp. baking soda
    1 tsp. salt
    1 TBSP. powdered ginger
    1 TBSP. cinnamon
    t tsp. ground nutmeg
    1 tsp. ground clove
    1 cup shortening
    1 cup sugar
    1 1/4 cup un-sulphured molasses (light to dark depending on color desired)
    2 beaten eggs


    Thouroughly mix flour, soda, salt and spices.

    Melt shortening in a large saucepan over low heat to warm (not hot). Add in order: sugar, molasses and eggs; mix well. Cool slightly.

    (The following is a recommended deviation from the Wilton procedures.)

    Place the flour mixture into your stand mixer bowl with a sweeper blade affixed. Turn on low and slowly pour the liquid ingredients into the bowl to mix. Mix well.

    Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate to hold for up to a week. Remove cold dough three hours before using so it softens and is workable.

    This recipe makes about 1 to 1 1/2 sheetpans of dough depending on thickness.

Lib also uses Wilton's simple royal icing recipe.

Please pm me if you want more information.

Tim
Author:  jeanf [ Fri Nov 02, 2012 6:29 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Gingerbread house ideas
BeckyH wrote:
Yeah, my favorite eating gingerbread is pretty spicy. The stuff used for houses needs to be pretty dry and stiff. Usually you bake a sheet and cut the pieces while it's still warm. If you make a cookie type dough and cut it before baking the pieces deform in the oven.


Becky, the recipe I linked to circumvents that issue by freezing them and baking when frozen. might be worth a test batch. Although cutting them warm would also work, I just can't see the logistics of having each team handed a warm sheet to cut, so thought the precut sheets would be best.
Keep us posted, this sounds like fun and something I would have loved to do in college.
Author:  Tim [ Fri Nov 02, 2012 7:12 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Gingerbread house ideas
Becky,

There are dozens of house templates on-line; google gingerbread house patterns. I can't seem to find patterns to fit a sheet pan without waste, but that should not be a problem.

Lib has never had any success baking before cutting. Her procedure are as follows:

    Roll the dough on a sheet of parchment.
    Cut the pattern including windows and doors.
    Remove excess dough from around the pattern pieces.
    Cut the parchment around the individual pattern pieces.
    Place the pattern pieces with the parchment of the cookie sheet for baking.
    The pieces need some separation between them.

Left over dough is re-rolled for other pattern pieces.

Looking at the many patterns will also allow you to consider the appropriate difficulty for your students. A single room house is the way to begin. You can adjust the size of any house pattern on your copier.

Lighting is really fun but does not work very well on smaller houses. The single lights are quite bright and require a house cavity about 10" X 12" in size.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Tim
Author:  JesBelle [ Fri Nov 02, 2012 8:30 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Gingerbread house ideas
What about using those little battery-operated LED tealights to light them? Michaels carries them all year 'round now.
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