Gingerbread Haus Series 5

Spice palette for the Chef's palate!

Clockwise starting at four o'clock position: allspice, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg

These spices are used in my favorite recipe, which follows:

Source: Betty Crocker 1950's Cookbook

Gingerbread Cookies Yields: about 6 dozen

Ingredients:
1/3 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 1/2 cups molasses = 12 oz. jar see NOTE #1

1/2 cup cold water

7 cups sifted flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp nutmeg
1 TBLSP cinnamon

2 tsp baking soda dissolved in
3 TBLPS water


Instructions:
1. In a large bowl, mix together thoroughly the shortening, brown sugar and molasses.
2. Stir in the cold water. It will look curdled, but that's okay, it just means the shortening particles are more spread out.
3. In another large bowl, sift together all the dry ingredients and add to the liquid mixture. Blend well. This is a VERY stiff dough - have a sturdy wooden spoon!
4. Stir the baking soda into the water and add to the gingerbread dough. see NOTE # 2
5. Chill dough.
6. Roll out and cut shapes. Place on a lightly greased sheet with a space
between cookies. Pre-heat oven to 350 F (176 C)
7. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 to 18 minutes, until when touched lightly with a finger,no imprint remains.
Switch pans in oven halfway through the cooking time. Cool and decorate as desired.



NOTE #1:
DO NOT use the ROBUST or SULFURED molasses as it will make the dough taste bitter!!! Be sure to use the Regular or Non-Sulfured molasses.

NOTE #2:
If you are making gingerbread houses, just leave the baking soda mixture out. Then you will have a smoother surface for the panels. Or, put it in and cut out your eating gingerbread people and trees and keep the scraps. Re-form these and cut the house out of the second and third "pressing" leftovers - with the added roll out flour it will be much smoother as well as denser.