Holiday Delights: Homemade Gingerbread House

 

Building and creating traditions around the holidays are something children have to look forward to annually. Here's a healthy twist on a homemade holiday favorite, our version of a foodie's, Gingerbread House. Here are the ingredients that your recipe will need.

6 cups whole wheat flour

1 Tbsp. baking soda 

1 cup rye flour

1 Tbsp. sea salt

3 cups almond flour

2 ¼ cups fresh butter 

1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon

2 ¼ cups raw sugar 

1 tsp. allspice

6 fresh eggs

2 Tbsp. ground ginger

2 cups rich dark molasses 

1 Tbsp. nutmeg

Thick icing

1 tsp. mace

2 Candy for decorating

INSTRUCTIONS FOR GINGERBREAD DOUGH

Sift all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl (flours, spices, salt). Set aside. Cream butter and sugar together in a separate large bowl. Add eggs one at a time until fluffy and thoroughly mixed. Stir in molasses. Add dry ingredients to wet in two-cup increments. Mix thoroughly between additions. Wrap the dough securely in beeswax wrap, dehydrator liners, parchment paper, or plastic wrap. Chill for at least four hours, or overnight. I usually complete my gingerbread house-making over a whole week and just chill mine overnight to deal with the next day. When ready, remove chilled dough to the counter and let sit for around 30 minutes.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR GINGERBREAD HOUSE BAKING

Print out a gingerbread house template. Cut the dough into manageable chunks and check wetness. If it's too wet to roll out without sticking, work a little flour into the dough ball. Dust your rolling pin and rolling surface with flour. Roll each piece to a consistent width, 1/8 inch thick. The pieces will about double in thickness once baked. Place your template on top of the section of rolled dough and cut out each piece with your sharpest knife. Be sure to note which template pieces need to be doubled (like walls and roof pieces). Transfer each piece carefully to the baking sheet and bake at 350F/176C for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges start to brown and the middle is pretty firm when you gently press on it. Remove and let cool completely before moving the pieces to a cooling rack. Do NOT reuse a hot baking sheet. If you have to, you can cool your baking sheets under running water or in the snow. I have five baking sheets and I use them all for this process. The gingerbread house pieces MUST be completely cool before you can construct the house. Use the icing to stick the pieces together and decorate with candy of your choice. www.homesteadlady.com

SolanoFamily.org