Miniature Gingerbread House (for cupcake or rim of a mug)
2,040Teeny, tiny gingerbread houses! Hang one on a mug or decorate a cupcake.
Here is the gingerbread cookie dough recipe I used:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5ZsfCVm8yg
Gingerbread Dough Recipe:
1 cup shortening
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1.5 cups fancy molasses
6 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp ginger
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1tsp ground cloves
Cream together sugar and shortening, beat in eggs
add molasses and blend well.
In another bowl mix together flour, salt and spices.
Blend dry ingredients a little at a time into the wet mixture until a dough forms. Using hands if necessary form a dough ball, divide into two equal portions. Wrap dough in plastic wrap or put into plastic bags and refrigerate for at least an hour.
This makes a HUGE pile of gingerbread. You can freeze unused portions.
Roll out small portions of dough between sheets of waxed or parchment paper to about 1/8" thickness (thin).
Place paper template on dough, cut out around shape using a sharp knife.
Place cut out dough (still attached to surrounding dough) in the freezer for 20 minutes (or fridge for an hour).
Remove the excess dough around the cut outs. Re-roll the scraps to make more shapes.
Remove cut out pieces to a parchment or silicone mat lined cookie sheet and chill them again in the fridge or freezer. (fridge 45 minutes, freezer 15 mintues)
Remove from fridge and bake at 350F for about 15 minutes. I use insulated cookie sheets, if you have regular cookie sheets it may take less time. Check cookies after about 8 minutes, set your timer.
You want them to be lightly browned and to feel firm to the touch.
They will crisp up when they cool.
Let the sit on cookie sheet for 1-2 minutes to cool an then transfer to wire rack. Be careful, hot cookies may still be pliable and may crack. Use a large thin metal spatula to get completely underneath the cookies.
Make a batch of royal icing:
http://www.inkatrinaskitchen.com/2012/05/small-batch-royal-icing.html
2 cups powdered/icing sugar
2 tablespoons meringue powder
There are royal icing recipes out there that use fresh eggs whites, you'll just have to google around for one if you can't find meringue powder)
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon clear vanilla or almond extract (optional)
Blend water and meringue powder and beat until dissolved and frothy, add the powdered sugar a little at a time and beat until peaks form or until frosting is desired thickness. This is an experience thing, you need it thick enough not to "flow" or be runny, but thin enough to be able to pipe using a pastry bag.
This frosting dries super quick and holds gingerbread like superglue. Once you make it you'll want to make all sorts of gingerbread constructions, so much fun :)
Glue the gingerbread pieces together using the royal frosting. Let the houses dry completely before decorating. Drying time will depend on how humid it is in your house and how wet your frosting is (and how dry your cookies are). Mine dried in about an hour, but it could take several hours.
Keep your royal icing covered and refrigerated when not using it. You many want to remix the frosting prior to using it if it has been sitting in the fridge for several hours.
I found the idea for the gingerbread house on a rim of a cup here:
http://www.notmartha.org/archives/2009/12/18/a-gingerbread-house-that-perches-on-the-rim-of-your-mug/
There is a link on her website to the templates to use for the rim gingerbread houses.
Here is the template I used (with measurements) to make the tiny cupcake sized houses.
http://yoyomax12.weebly.com/miniature-cupcake-sized-template.html
**hints about the mug cupcakes**
I chose the 1/2" opening size and it was perfect for a large mug. You will notice in certain photos that the silver balls have fallen off the doorway of the white themed house. The rim knocks these off when you put it on the mug. I suggest that you don't put decorations around the doors that "stick out"