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Ask A Pittsburgh Expert: Tips For Building Gingerbread Houses

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Gaynor displays multiple talents at her cooking school where she is director. Those pursuits include classes for kids, adults and couples, a wine tasting program, international programs and even classes for corporations. Her unique style of cooking and teaching was highlighted with television appearances on KDKA and also through recipes that include Princess Diana's favorite meals; extra classes in regional Italian cooking and a weight loss program are testimonies to her creativity and professional demeanor. Gaynor's schedule fills up fast, so book your classes early.

Gaynor Grant
Director of Gaynor's School Of Cooking
309 E. Carson St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
(412) 325-2703
www.gaynorsschoolofcooking.com

Gaynor studied at Portsmouth University in the United Kingdom where she majored in hotel and catering. When she moved to the United States, she enrolled in the famous Peter Kumps New York Cooking School, eventually becoming an assistant at the school. Gaynor started satellite schools in New Jersey and operated the Center for Culinary Education and gourmet catering. After moving to the Pittsburgh area, she continued her cooking experience with catering and teaching. Gaynor has taken courses with chefs in Europe and has catered for professional entertainers and star personalities. Now she provides some of the best tips for making a gingerbread house that will be remembered forever.

Ingredients:
(Makes two houses)

  • 1 1/2 cups of brown sugar
  • 3 sticks of butter, room temperature
  • 6 cups of all purpose flour
  • 2 t. cinnamon
  • 2 t. ginger
  • 1/2 t. cloves
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 t. salt
  • 1 cup of molasses
  • Icing, 4 egg whites and 7-7 1/2 cups of powdered sugar

Tip 1: Gingerbread House Directions

Use an electric mixer and cream the sugar and the butter. Add eggs and molasses and mix well; then combine the flour with the spices and refrigerate the dough until firm. Divide the dough into six pieces, and then use a 7" x 5" template and cut two rectangles out of two pieces of the dough for the side walls and cut out two more 8" x 5 1/2  pieces out of two more pieces of the dough for the roof. Use a conical shaped template for the walls that are 5" x 5", and cut out two shapes; and in one piece cut out the door. Refrigerate the pieces until very firm; then bake in a 350 degree oven until crisp. Put on a cooling rack.

Tip 2: Icing The Gingerbread House

Make sure to beat the eggs until very foamy; the electric mixer will do that job perfectly. That should be done for about one minute. Add 1/2 cup of sugar, and beat until its well blended. Continue that process with another 1/2 cup of sugar and beat until blended after each addition. The icing step is important, as this will be the mortar that will hold all the pieces together. To prevent the icing from drying out, place half of the icing in an icing bag fitted with a 1/4 inch pasty tip and cover the remaining icing with plastic wrap. Assemble the walls of the gingerbread house, making sure to press them into the cake circle for a firm foundation. For the roof, first pipe icing along one long side of each of the roof pieces and press together to form the gable. Allow that to dry before attaching the roof to the bottom structure.

Tip 3: Decorate The Gingerbread House

Select candies to decorate; red/white striped candy, candy canes, cinnamon imperials, M&M's and gum drops are good choices. Decorate the house's landscape as well with ice cream cones for trees, a gum drop sidewalk and extra buttercream icing for the freshly fallen snow.

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Tip 4: Tips And Tricks

Make your dough the day before and refrigerate overnight. Use a template to cut out the pieces; these can be downloaded online or you can purchase them in a craft store. Make icing thick enough that you can roll pieces in your hands to act as the base into which you put the pieces of the house, and also to secure the sides and roof together. Once done, you can add a little additional water to the icing to thin it a little so it's easier when you come to decorate. Allow your structure to dry completely before you start decorating, as this should prevent it from collapsing. Avoid using heavier pieces on the roof to prevent it from collapsing.

Tip 5: Gingerbread Preparations

Divide your dough into 2-3 pieces as it's easier to roll out pieces rather than the whole thing. Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin before you start rolling. As you roll out each piece of dough, turn frequently to prevent it from sticking. To give a cleaner edge to your house pieces, the dough should be refrigerated before cutting. Once rolled out, refrigerate until very firm before placing in the oven; this will prevent the dough from expanding and losing its shape. Make icing thick enough that you can roll pieces in your hands to act as the base into which you put the pieces of the house.

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Gerry Cernicky is a retired health and physical education teacher with 36 years of experience. He is a former teacher of the year and a sports writer for the Vandergrift News. He delivers podcasts, and maintains a website and blog. He currently resides in Pittsburgh. His work can be found at Examiner.com.

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