Tasty Gingerbread House (or People)

My dear friend, Lainie  has spent much of her time being creative with children. She has passed this recipe on to me and my daughter.  It tastes great, and rolls out as a sturdy dough - so it's easy to work with. Try giving your children little rolling pins - that way they can roll out and cut their own gingerbread people. Now is a wonderful time of year for cozy indoor projects with the kids.This recipe yields approximately 2 dozen good sized gingerbread people, or 1 small gingerbread house.Ingredients:

• Dry -
• 4 C flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ginger powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• Wet -
• 1 C melted unsalted butter
• 1 C molasses
• 1 C sugar
• 2 egg yolks

Here's How:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Mix dry ingredients together in one bowl, and wet ingredients together in a separate bowl.
3. Then mix dry into wet until the dough is smooth.
4. Form the dough into three or four large balls, and place them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or freezer for 15 minutes to chill.
5. Remove the balls from the fridge and roll the dough out on a floured board. You want to end up with a sheet of dough that is about 1/4 " thick.
6. If you are making a house, be sure it's not any thinner than 1/4" - you want the pieces to be thick enough that they remain stable.
7. If you are making gingerbread people, it's okay if they are a wee bit thinner than 1/4" - but again, not too much.
8. Bake at 350 for approximately 10 minutes.
9. Cool on rack.
10. Use icing (see below) to assemble your house, or decorate gingerbread people with icing and colored candies or dried fruits of your choice.

Gingerbread IcingIngredients:

• 1 lb powdered sugar
• 1 tsp cream of tartar
• 3 egg whites
• Food coloring of your choice (optional)

Here's How:

1. Beat all ingredients until stiff.
2. Place icing in a ziplock bag.
3. Cut a tiny hole in one corner, and the icing will squeeze out nicely. You can adjust the size of the hole as needed.

This icing makes great glue for assembling your gingerbread house. Decorate with colorful candies of varying shapes and sizes.Have fun!