GINGERBREAD HOUSE

This gingerbread recipe is not meant to be eaten. It creates a hard, sturdy gingerbread perfect for constructing gingerbread houses. It makes enough dough for the two side walls, the front and the back walls, and the two roof sections. Plus, scraps can be rerolled to make roof tiles, trees, stars, and figures. Print out a template online, or create your own by cutting out cardstock sheets.

6¾ cups all-purpose flour

4½ teaspoons ground ginger

1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

1½ teaspoons baking soda

1½ teaspoons salt

1½ cups solid vegetable shortening

1½ cups dark brown sugar

3 large eggs

¾ cup dark molasses

ROYAL ICING

Egg whites from 4 large eggs

7 to 7½ cups powdered white sugar

Makes 1 (7 × 10-inch) gingerbread house

1. In a large bowl sift together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.

2. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the shortening and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the molasses, and beat on high speed until well blended. Add ¼ of the flour mixture at a time, beating at low speed until dough forms.

3. Divide the dough into six equal pieces, and wrap in plastic. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours.

4. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. On a well-floured surface, roll out the dough to ⅛-inch thickness. Cut it into the desired shapes using a template. Place the dough shapes on ungreased baking sheets, and chill until firm, about 15 minutes. Bake for 15 minutes until the gingerbread is firm in the center but not dark around the edges.

5. To make the icing, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until very foamy, about 1 minute. Add ½ cup of the powdered sugar. Beat until well blended. Add the remaining cups of sugar, ½ cup at a time, beating until each addition is well blended and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat the icing at high speed until it is very thick and stiff, about 5 minutes. Transfer the icing to a piping bag, and use the icing immediately to assemble the walls.

MAKE IT AHEAD: Set aside a couple hours over three days to make this gingerbread house (one day to make the dough, one day to roll out and bake the gingerbread, and one day to assemble the house). This house can be made up to one month in advance.