Gingerbread Exchange Community

After what feels like a lifetime of trying different gingerbread dough recipes, looking for the perfect dough for constructing a gingerbread house, I think I may have found the perfect recipe. 

I rolled-and baked two large rectangles and let them sit on my kitchen counter-top in the rainy damp Pacific Northwest... and low and behold... they are still hard as rock!

We have a winner!
   
GBD Construction Gingerbread Dough 
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1 cup (340 g) Corn Syrup (light or dark)
3/4 cup (165 g) brown Sugar
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp (128 g) Shortening
4 1/2 cups (576 g) All-Purpose flour
2 tsp (4.6 g) ground Cinnamon
2 tsp (3.6 g) ground Ginger
1 tsp (2.1 g) ground Cloves
1/4 tsp (1.5 g) Salt
 
Note: This recipe makes enough dough to roll-out approx. 242 square inches @ 1/4” thick

In a medium saucepan, heat corn syrup, brown sugar, and shortening.

Stir mixture over medium heat until shortening is melted.

Continue to cook until full boil. Remove from heat and let sit until cool enough to handle (approx. 15-30 min).

In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients.

Make a well in the middle of dry ingredients, and add warm wet mixture.

Mix dough with a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula.

Continue to mix until well incorporated.

Kneed dough by hand until combined and dough is smooth (about 10 rotations)

Kneed dough until a smooth ball is achieved.

Divide dough in half and flatten, placing each half in a sandwich ziplock bag to keep from drying out.

Repeat recipe until enough batches of dough have been made as per template instructions.

Remove dough from one ziplock bag at a time.  Heat dough in microwave for approx. 15-30 seconds to soften the dough, which will make rolling easier.

Cut parchment paper or aluminum foil to fit your baking pan. If using Silpat mats, they should lay flat in your baking pan.

With a rolling pin, roll dough onto parchment paper, aluminum foil, or silpat mat. 

Use the least amount of flour as possible in order to prevent the dough from sticking to the rolling pin. 

To obtain a uniform rolling thickness, lay a matching-pair of Pastry Rulers on your work surface with your dough placed between the strips.  Using your rolling pin, roll-out the dough until the rolling pin glides across the surface of both strips.  The desired thickness has now been achieved.  If you cannot locate Pastry Rulers, two narrow slats of wood 1/4” thick can also be utilized.  Support pieces should all be rolled to at least 1/4" thick.  Non-structural support pieces may be rolled thinner.

Lightly dust rolled dough with flour and place template pieces on the rolled dough. Fit as many pieces as possible without crowding, leaving 1” between pieces.

Use a pizza cutter for easy quick straight cuts; Use a non-serrated knife for smaller cuts.

Cut windows and doors and remove dough as desired.

Remove and reserve excess dough that is between pieces. This scrap dough can be re-rolled as needed for additional pieces.  Reheat dough in microwave for approx. 15-30 seconds to soften.

Lift parchment paper, aluminum foil, or silpat mat by the edges and transfer to baking pan, being careful to not to disturb cut pieces.

Bake gingerbread pieces at 350 F (176 C), for 15-30 minutes or until pieces are firm and light brown around the edges.

Watch for bubbles during baking.  If possible, poke any bubbles with a toothpick during baking and the bubble will fall.  If not possible to poke during baking, poke bubble as soon as removed from oven and then place a heavy baking pan on top of hot piece to help flatten the bubble.

The GBD Construction Gingerbread Dough does not contain any leavening or eggs, therefore there should not be much distortion during baking, but there may still be a little especially on larger prices.  While piece is hot, place template pieces on top of baked gingerbread to check for distortion.  Carefully trim any pieces as necessary.

Cool on baking pans prior to removing.

Carefully remove each piece from parchment paper, aluminum foil, or silpat mat.

Fill window areas using the GBD Poured Sugar recipe, or use your preferred method for windows.  Place Gingerbread piece on aluminum foil and pour candy into the window area until desired window thickness. Let cool completely, then remove aluminum.

Decorate any wall pieces prior to assembly – while still flat on the work surface. Apply frosting to walls, decorate windows and window boxes, and apply foundation decorations, etc.  Let dry overnight prior to assembling.

If I didn’t have corn syrup, my first choice would be to use cheap maple syrup, that’s made from corn syrup and maple flavoring.  Don’t use the real stuff.   

If you can’t obtain cheap maple syrup, then I’d try making my own corn syrup on the stove top.  For one cup of corn syrup, dissolve 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar with 1/4 hot water.  Cook until melted. Let cool. 

My next option would be honey.

While I love molasses, it could possibly result in softer gingerbread.

Hope this helps.
 

How long do you bake it and at what temp?

Thanks!

Can this dough be frozen or kept in the fridge until ready to use?

Thank you so much!

@esolomon - I have some sample pieces that I baked last winter, and they are still rock hard.  They were rolled 1/4" thick (I use slats of wood to make sure I get a uniform thickness).

Did you roll the pieces too thin, or over-bake?