Chocolate Desserts & More

Gingerbread House

****The song below belongs to Pentatonix. And the other song belongs to CeeLo Green***

Ingredients

•6 3/4 cups all purpose flour
•4 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
•1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
•1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
•1 1/2 teaspoons salt
•3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
•1 1/2 cups solid vegetable shortening
•1 1/2 cups sugar
•3 large eggs
•3/4 cup robust (dark) molasses
•1 roll kitchen parchment (at least 10 yards long — sold at cookware stores and at some supermarkets)
•1 1/2-inch round cookie cutter for roof tiles
•Assorted cookie cutters (such as Christmas tree, gingerbread man, and star)
•1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

Templates

•6 cardboard sheets (about 15 X 15 inches)
•Waxed paper

Directions

1) Sift flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and cardamom into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat shortening in large bowl until fluffy. Add sugar and beat to blend. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Add molasses and beat on high speed until well blended.
2) Add dry ingredients in 4 additions, beating at low speed until dough forms. Divide dough into 6 equal pieces. Flatten each piece into rectangle.
3) Wrap each in plastic and refrigerate until firm enough to roll, at least 6 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.)

Rolling, Cutting and Baking

4) Each of the six pieces of dough will be used for one of the large sections of the house (the two side walls, the front and the back walls, and the two roof sections). The scraps will be rerolled to make the roof tiles, trees, stars, figures and other cookies for nibbling.

To make templates

5) On one cardboard sheet, draw 14-inch round and cut out, making base for house. On another cardboard sheet, draw one 7- X 10-inch rectangle and cut out. Outline rectangle 3 more times on cardboard sheets and cut out, making 4 foundation rectangles.
6) Draw one 6- X 9-inch rectangle on cardboard sheet and cut out, making roof template. Draw one 7- X 4-inch rectangle on cardboard sheet and cut out, making side wall template. Cut out 2 (1 1/2-inch) squares for windows.
7) To make the template for the front and back of the house, draw a 4- X 5-inch rectangle on cardboard sheet, then use the 5-inch side of the rectangle as the base for a triangle with the opposite angle 4 inches away from base.
8) To make a door, cut a 1 1/2- X 2 3/4-inch rectangle in the center of the opposite 5-inch side of rectangle.
9) Preheat oven to 350°F.
Roll out 1 dough piece (keep remaining dough refrigerated) between two 15-inch-long sheets of parchment to scant 1/4-inch rectangle, turning over dough and parchment occasionally. If parchment wrinkles, peel off, smooth wrinkle and reposition parchment over dough; continue to roll out dough to required thickness.

Roof

10) To make roof, place cardboard roof template atop parchment. Using small sharp knife, cut around template through top sheet of parchment to make 6x9-inch rectangle. Peel top parchment off dough.
11) Pull away excess dough from around the rectangle. Slide dough rectangle on its bottom parchment onto heavy large baking sheet. Gather dough scraps; wrap in plastic and refrigerate.
12) Bake rectangle until dry looking, firm to touch in center and just beginning to darken around edges, about 13 minutes. Slide parchment with rectangle onto rack and cool completely. Rinse baking sheet under cold water to cool; wipe dry.