Gingerbread Dough For Structures

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.04

Title: Gingerbread Dough For Structures
Categories: Polkadot, Epona, Cookies
Yield: 1 Servings

2/3 c Shortening
1/2 c Sugar
1/2 c Blackstrap molasses
1 Egg
3 c Flour
1 ts Baking soda
1 ts Baking powder
1 ts Cinnamon
1 ts Ginger
1 ts Cloves
1/2 ts Nutmeg

Cream shortening and sugar. Add molasses and egg; beat thoroughly.
Sift together remaining ingredients and add to liquid mixture. Mix
well. If dough does not come together, add water as necessary.
(Dough tends to be stiff.) Roll to 1/2" thick and cut pattern for
desired structure. Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes. Be very careful
when removing from baking sheets to cooling rack. Let cool
thoroughly, then assemble using Royal icing (2 egg whites, 1/2 tsp.
cream of tartar, 1/2 to 1 tsp. vanilla, 1 lb. confectioners sugar.
Beat until stiff.)

A couple of things: Roll out the dough right on the cookie sheets,
cut your pieces, and peel away the extra dough. A lot easier than
trying to transfer the pieces from rolling board to sheets. Leave
some space between pieces; this dough tends to spread a bit. It also
has a tendency to crack a little when you take it off the baking
sheet if you use a small spatula to move it. I went out and invested
in one with a 5"x3" blade. The cookie isn't too sweet, but nice and
spicy.

I spent the whole day with my mom, helping her make cookies for
Christmas gifts. Somewhere around 600 cookies later, I'm finally
home.... Anyway, she gave me permission to divulge her gingerbread
recipe, so here it is.

* The Polka Dot Palace BBS 1-201-822-3627. Posted by EPONA

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