gingerbread

This recipe is from one of my running group friends. She uses it every year and makes some phenomenal looking gingerbread houses. (Last year was the Houston Temple - absolutely amazing!) I'm trying it out today for Benjamin who has wanted to make a Gingerbread house since before Christmas. He wanted to make cookies today and I had promised my piano students gingerbread cookies, so this takes care of all of those wants in one! (OK, so the sink leaked and was a mess. I'll be trying this out tomorrow.

Grandma’s Gingerbread Recipe
( the one Tammy Bitter uses every year)

Ingredients

• 5 to 5.5 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp ginger
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp cloves
• 1 cup shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 ¼ cups unsulfured molasses
• 2 eggs beaten

Directions

1. Thoroughly mix flour, soda, salt, and spices.
2. Melt shortening in large saucepan over low heat until just melted, not boiling.
3. Add in order, sugar*, molasses*, and eggs*, mix well. Cool slightly then add 4 cups dry ingredients and mix well. *I always have these ingredients measured and ready next to my saucepan so that I can make sure I add them before the shortening boils.I only beat the eggs with a fork or whisk and have them in a bowl ready to add.
4. Cool slightly then add 4 cups dry ingredients and mix well.
5. Turn mixture onto a lightly floured surface.
6. Add a little more flour if necessary to make a firm dough. I have a drop test that I developed that to work for us. I form a big ball with the dough and plop in on the counter. If it quickly sort of melts and falls down into a flatter blob, it’s not ready and I add a little more flour. We think it’s best to work with when it falls and slowly kind of flattens, but never completely flattens. The dough will darken in color as it sits and also as it bakes.