Christmas Gingerbread Houses

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Ingredients for 3 small houses:

q       250 mL (1 c.) margarine

q       375 mL (1 ½ c.) brown sugar

q       1 egg, beaten

q       30 mL (2 tbsp.) molasses

q       625 mL (2 ½ c.) flour

q       10 mL (2 tsp.) baking soda

q       10 mL (2 tsp.) cinnamon

q       10 mL (2 tsp.) ginger

q       10 mL (2 tsp.) ground cloves

q      

Directions :

1.       Cream together margarine and brown sugar.

2.     Add the egg and molasses to the margarine and sugar mixture. Mix well.

3.     Sift together the flour, soda, and spices (cinnamon, ginger, cloves).

4.     Add the dry ingredients to the moist ingredients and mix well.

5.     Refrigerate for several hours.

6.     Divide the dough into three equal parts. Roll out one ball of dough and cut out desired shapes either with a cookie cutter or the house pattern pieces.

 

Bake 8 to 10 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (done when edges are a slightly darker brown).

To make the gingerbread house (this recipe makes 3 small houses) :

  1. Using 3 index cards or Bristol board, draw the following shapes:
    1. A 12 cm x 7 cm rectangle for 2 sides of the house;
    2. A 13 cm x 8 cm rectangle for the 2 sides of the roof;
    3. A 8 cm x 11 cm rectangle, folded in half (4 cm x 11 cm). Make a small pencil mark at 7 cm at one edge of the card. From this mark, draw a diagonal line to the tip of the fold (at 11 cm). Cut away these corners to make the gable ends (entrance and exit sides).
  2. In the rolled out dough, cut 2 copies of each geometric shape. Using a butter knife, trace the lines for the windows and doors.
  3. Bake the cookie shapes for 8 to 10 minutes. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, trim the edges (using the cardboard pattern as a tracer) and remove the windows and doors.

4.     Cool the cookie shapes on a cooling rack before assembling the house.

To assemble the houses:

  1. Mix an egg white with icing sugar to a thick creamy consistency.
  2. Using a butter knife, spread the icing along one edge of a roof panel. Glue it to the second roof panel at right angles and lean the roof against the edge of a counter. Glue one side of the house to the entrance panel. Repeat this with the other side of the house and the exit panel. Make sure the doorways are facing in the same direction!
  3. Allow all pieces to dry for at least 3 hours before assembling the 4 sides together. Allow to dry again before gluing the roof to the house.
  4. Allow to dry overnight before decorating with candies, nuts, pretzels, etc.

 

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