Alice, Elizabeth and I have decided to enter a gingerbread house contest. What?!? Us???Jamie made it look doable last Christmas, and the hospital charity just wants gingerbread houses it can auction off. (The contest part is just to make it fun--don't worry, we're not expecting to win.)
HELP! Our gingerbread house needs a theme, and the general theme of the Festival of Trees is "A Renaissance Christmas".
The display board can be no larger than 18" x 18", and the house delivered on Wed, Nov. 15. (So, time is short). Any gingerbread recipes? Or frosting recipes? Any decorating ideas? Jamie, if we attempted a castle, any pointers???
At least Alice and Elizabeth have two days out of school next week (parent-teacher conferences) and now I know what we'll be doing!
And this is ALL in the name of charity.
Maybe you could do some settings for Renaissance ideas. Like Martin Luther's monastery, or maybe a theme with apples in it for Newton, or the Louvre with art works on the wall, and that glass pyramid in front. Those are a few of my favorite ideas.
ReplyDeleteI have a couple of things to say on this - more appropriate in a few different comments. First off, here is a great recipe for gingerbread construction material:
ReplyDeleteIngredients:
3 Cup(s) flour
1/2 Teaspoon(s) baking soda
1/2 Teaspoon(s) salt
2 1/2 Teaspoon(s) ginger
1/2 Teaspoon(s) nutmeg
1/2 Cup(s) soft butter or margarine
1/2 Cup(s) light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 egg
1/2 Cup(s) light molasses (or 1/4C. dark)
Directions:
Mix dry ingredients. Beat butter sugar and egg until fluffy, mix in molasses. Gradually add flour mixture. Form into ball and wrap with plastic and refrigerate overnight.
Roll to 1/4 inch thickness and cut as desired. Bake at 375 degrees 10-12 minutes.
You could really have a lot of fun with the Renaissance theme. Maybe it would be fun (and easiest) to do an old-fashioned home, decorated for the holidays. Here's a picture of Shakespeare's house that might give you an idea. I'm so excited to see what you come up with!
ReplyDeletehttp://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/FIP/WT-00026-C~Shakespeare-s-House-Stratford-on-Avon-England-Posters.jpg
Here are my tips from last year's castle:
ReplyDelete1. Plan the shape of the house first - and try cutting the pieces out of posterboard to see how they will fit. Then you can trace those onto the rolled out dough when you're ready to cut them out.
2. Gingerbread gets more sturdy as it sits out. Cut and bake the walls first. Then wait at least a day - maybe two - before you start piecing together.
3. Consider decorating the walls before you put them up. It is much easier to decorate walls that are flat on the table. Let them dry overnight and then put the walls together. You can always put on finishing touches very last. If you must put the walls together first, let that dry overnight. The more sturdy the structure, the easier it is to decorate.
Cement Frosting:
ReplyDelete2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 t cream of tartar
2 egg whites
Beat on high speed until frosting holds its shape. If necessary, add more powdered sugar to thicken icing. Cover frosting with a damp cloth to prevent drying.