Gingerbread Houses And Cookies

Gingerbread houses are a tradition in my family.  I remember my mom making them each each with us and the neighborhood kids.  The kids eyes always get big as saucers looking at all the candy choices.  I just made 9 gingerbread houses with my daughters girl scout troop.  The girls loved making their own houses and decorating them.  This recipe is also good for gingerbread people.  Unfortunately, all the ginger people got eaten before I had a chance to snap a picture.  This dough is very gingery and delicious.  This recipe comes from Rebecca Rather's book "Pastry Queen.  Happy house building.

Gingerbread Cookies or Gingerbread house:

Pre-Heat Oven:  375 degrees
Makes:  4 dozen cookies/1 gingerbread house
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark molasses
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

1.  In a small pan on medium heat, melt the sugar, molasses, water, ginger, cinnamon and cloves together about 5 minutes.

2.  Take the pan off the stove and add the butter.  Allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Cooking The Sugar, Spices, And Molasses

3. In a mixer with the paddle attachment, add the flour, salt, baking soda and molasses mixture.  Turn until all ingredients have been incorporated.

4.  Scoop the batter into a plastic zip lock bag.  Cool the dough in the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight.

Gingerbread Dough

5.  Remove the dough from the plastic wrap.  Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees.  Roll the dough out on a floured surface to 1/4 inch thick.

Rolling Out Gingerbread Dough

6. Cut the dough using a cookie cutter or house mold with a knife.  Place the cut out dough on a parchment lined cookie sheet.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.

House Dimensions:  Make a mold from cardboard:  put the house together first with cardboard and tape together.  Glue the house to the cardboard house with the frosting.  The cardboard gives the dough some structure.

3"x5":  sides: 2
61/2" x 51/2":  sides: 2  
6" x 4 /1/2": roof: 2

 House Cut Out:  Gingerbread

Royal Icing:

3 large egg whites (can use pasteurized egg whites)
4 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Royal Icing

In a mixer with the whisk attachment.  Whip the egg whites until frothy about 4 minutes then add the lemon juice and powder sugar.  Mix until all ingredients are incorporated.  Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Gingerbread Houses

Chocolate Maypole Cake

This chocolate maypole cake was a special present to my sister for her 44th birthday party.  My whole family goes to Florida for Thanksgiving so I wanted to make a special cake for my sister's birthday.  We were going to have 27 guests including 12 kids so I knew I needed to make something special that the adults and the kids would both enjoy.  This maypole cake design came from Martha Stewart's "Annual Recipes" cookbook from 2002.   I used Martha's creative design for the cake but used a chocolate cake recipe I love from Softasilk cake flour. I did make a few changes to the recipe by cutting the butter in half and adding canola oil.  I also add additional vanilla and removed the almond extract from the recipe.  Have fun decorating this cake with lots of different colored ribbons and sprinkles.  My kids loved decorating their own cupcake and ribbon and I know your kids will too.

Chocolate Maypole Cake:

Pre-heat Oven:350 degrees sea level and 375 degrees  at high altitude
Makes:  2 layer cake and 15 cupcakes

4 cups sugar
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large eggs
5 cups Softasilk Cake Flour
2 cups Dutch-processed cocoa powder
4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 1/2 cups buttermilk, 1%

1.  In a mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the oil, butter and sugar together for 2 minutes.  Then slowly add the eggs one at a time beating well between each addition.  Add the vanilla, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt to the batter.  Alternate the buttermilk and the cake flour to the batter.  Mix for one minute until all the ingredients have been incorporated.

2.  Grease 16 cupcake liners  and two 9" cake pans with cooking spray with flour (like Pam with flour).   Fill the two cake tins 1/2 way up the side with batter.  Fill the cupcake tins or foil cups 3/4 of the way up with batter.  Bake the cakes for 24-27 minutes or until the tester comes out clean.  Bake the cupcakes for 12-15 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.  Allow the cakes and cupcakes to cool on a wire rake for 10 minutes.  Remove the cakes by using a knife and scraping around the edge of the cakes.  Invert the cake onto a plate lined with parchment paper or plastic wrap.  Allow the cake to fully cool before frosting it.

Buttercream Frosting:
2 cups butter (4 sticks), softened
1/2 cup crisco
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
16-18 tablespoons milk (about 1 cup)
15 cups powder sugar

In a mixer with the whip attachment, add the softened butter and crisco and mix for 1 minute on high.  Turn the mixer to low and add the vanilla and the unsweetened cocoa powder to the butter.  Alternate adding the powder sugar and milk a little at a time to the frosting.  Mix all the ingredients together on high for 3 minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy.

Assembling the Maypole Cake:

Sprinkles in different colors for decorating:  red, yellow, orange, pink

12 colored ribbons for the cake:  pink, yellow and green

1 large 12" high, 1/4" thick, wood dowel, painted green

1 tack or pin

1 sour patch green candy or gumdrop

1.  Find a large clear platter(about 24" wide) for the cake and cupcakes to be displayed on.
2.  Frost the bottom layer of the cake with a thick coat of frosting.  Add the 2nd cake on top of the 1st cake and continue frosting the entire cake.  Decorate with colored sprinkles.
3.  Frost all the cupcakes with frosting and decorate with colored sprinkles (red, orange, pink, yellow)

4.  Poke a whole in the center of the cakes with the painted dowel.
5.  Cut 12 ribbons, 12" long.  Gather the ribbons together and pin/tack them through their center to one end of the dowel.  Gently press the sour patch candy or gumdrop around the tack/pin. Fan the ribbons out around the cake stand.

Chocolate Maypole Cake

Mile-High Angel Food Cake With Strawberries

Mile-High angel food cake with strawberries was a baking success.  Angel food cake was the only desserts my mom would bake my my birthdays in Florida.  Today, living in Colorado there are a lot of cake recipes that just don't work out like they do at sea level.  Angel Food cake is one of those special cakes that I just could not bake off successfully.  After trying 4 different recipes my husband took pity on me and researched this cake recipe for me.  This recipe comes from allrecipes.com  from AMYK and works well with all of us who live in the mile high city.  I think the difference of this cake is that you only beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks.  Do not beat the egg whites until they are stiff like you would at sea level.  This cake is a great birthday cake that is light and airy and not to sweet.

Mile-High Angel Food Cake:

Pre-heat Oven:  330 degrees
Makes:  Servings:  12

1 1/3 cups sifted cake flour
1 1/8 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups egg whites
1 1/4 teaspoons cream of tartar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

1.  In a mixer with the whip attachment, add the cream of tartar, salt and egg whites.  Mix the egg whites on medium until they reach soft peaks.  Then add the sugar slowly until you have reached medium peaks that fold over (Don't beat the peaks until stiff for a high altitude cake)!!!  Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the vanilla extract, lemon extract and the cake flour with a rubber spatula (Don't over mix the cake).  Spoon the batter into a un-greased tube pan.

Egg Whites Reaching Medium Peaks That Fold Over

2.  Bake the cake for 25 minutes at 330 degrees then increase the temperature to 375 for 3 more minutes.  Invert the tube pan and cool on a wire rake for 15 minutes.  When the cake is cool run a thin spatula around the outer edge of the angel food cake to release it.

Whip Cream Icing:
1 pint whipping cream
1/4 cup powder sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups fresh strawberries, washed, cored, sliced
1 tablespoon sugar
6 whole strawberries for decoration

1.  In a mixer with the whip attachment, add the whip cream.  Mix the cream on high until soft peaks appear.  Turn the mixer to low and add the powder sugar and vanilla extract.  Continue to beat on high until the cream is stiff.

2.  Cut the angel food cake in half.  Frost the 1st half with the whip cream frosting.  Add the top layer of the cake and continue frosting the top and all the sides of the cake with frosting.  Place the cut up strawberries into the center well of the cake and on top of the cake.  Place 6 whole strawberries on top of the cake for decoration.

Mile-High Angel Food Cake With Strawberries

Rocket Rolls

Rocket Rolls are deliciously light and airy and will take you to the moon.  My kids decided these rolls needed all three toppings, so they went to work sprinkling the poppy seeds, kosher salt and fresh rosemary leaves on top of the dough balls. These rolls have a touch of sweetness and a hint of cinnamon to them.  This recipe comes from Rebecca Rather's cook book "Pastry Queen".  Rebecca  uses the rolls for sandwiches and her bakery and I used them for a dinner roll.  Either way these rolls are fun to eat and make with the family. My son Alex decided that we needed to make a second batch of these rolls.  He said "mom we have to get started making those delicious rocket rolls" this was at 6:00 am Monday morning after a dinner party the night before.  I guess it is never to early to get cooking!

Rocket Rolls:
Pre-Heat Oven:  350 degrees
Makes:  32 dinner rolls or 16 sandwich rolls

3 (1/4-ounces) packages active dry yeast, about 1 tablespoon
1 cup warm water (105-115 degrees)
1/4 cup canola oil
1 large egg
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups water (more as needed)
6 1/2 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon sea salt
pinch of cinnamon
egg wash (recipe follows)

Egg Wash:

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons milk

2 tablespoons rosemary, washed, leaves removed and finely chopped

1 tablespoon Kosher salt

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

1.  In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water and 1 tablespoon sugar.  Allowing the yeast to become foamy about 5 minutes.

2.  In a mixer with a dough hook attachment, add the oil, egg, sugar, 1 1/2 cups water, salt, pinch of cinnamon and yeast mixture.  Slowly add the flour one cup at a time until the dough forms a ball.  (If the dough is too sticky add more flour one tablespoon at a time.  If the dough is too dry add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until the dough comes together in a ball).  Allow the dough to mix on low for 5 minutes. Lightly grease a large bowl with canola oil. Then place the dough into the bowl and cover it with a towel or plastic wrap.  Allow the dough to rise for 1  1/2 hours in a warm place or until the dough has doubled in bulk.

Rocket Roll Dough Ball

3.  Punch down the dough and remove it from the bowl.  On a floured work surface divide the dough into golf ball size dough balls for dinner rolls or tennis size balls for sandwich rolls.  Place on a parchment lined baking sheet spacing them 2 inches apart.  Cover the roll with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place for 20 minutes or until lighter and fluffier.

4.  Mix the egg yolk and milk into a small bowl making an egg wash.  Using a pastry brush, brush each roll with the egg wash.  Then sprinkle your favorite topping:  poppy seeds, fresh rosemary or kosher salt to the top of the rolls.  You can try all three if you like.

5.  Remove the plastic wrap or towel from the dough.  Bake the rolls at 350 degrees for 20- 30 minutes or until golden brown.  Allow the rolls to cool on a wire rake for 5 minutes.  Eat the rolls warm with cold butter.  You can warm the rolls up by placing them in a 300 degree oven for 5 minutes just before serving them.

Rocket Rolls With Rosemary, Poppy Seeds and Kosher Salt

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

This lemon poppy seed muffin recipe is terrific.  This recipe has an entire lemon ground up to give these muffins a tart and sweet flavor combination.  I brought these muffins to my twin boys third grade teacher after school on Friday.  She said "these muffins are just the thing I need today"!  This recipe comes from the Pastry Queen Cookbook by Rebecca Rather.  I tried to make these muffins healthier by cutting out half the butter and replacing it with canola oil, using 1% yogurt instead of whole milk, using whole wheat pastry flour for all purpose flour.  I also added the poppy seeds to this recipe.  These muffins are still light as a feather and are delicious for a morning snack or coffee break.

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins:

Pre-Heat Oven:  350 degrees
Makes:  25 muffins or 50 mini muffins

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins:
1 medium lemon
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1/2 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cups organic cane sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup bread flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 2/3 cups(16 oz.) plain yogurt (1%)
2 teaspoons poppy seeds

1.  Spray 25 muffin cups with cooking spray or line them with muffin wrappers.

2.  Cut the lemon in quarters and remove the seeds.  Place the quartered lemon into a food processor with a metal blade for 1 minute or until it is fully ground up.  Scrape out all the lemon parts into a small bowl.

3.  In a mixer with the paddle attachment, add the butter, oil and sugar.  Blend together for 1 minute.  Add the eggs one at a time and mix well between each addition.  Add the vanilla, soda, baking powder, salt, yogurt and poppy seeds to the batter.  Add the whole wheat and bread flour slowly to the muffin batter until all the ingredients are fully incorporated.

4.  Spoon the muffin batter into the muffin tins up to the top. (this batter is thick so it will not run over the edge of the muffin pan).  Bake for 18 minutes for the regular muffins and 12 minutes for the mini muffins or until a tooth pick comes out clean. Let the muffins cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. You can also freeze the muffins for up to 2 weeks in a ziplock freezer bag.

Mini Muffin Tin

Regular Muffin Tins

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins