Gingerbread Creativity

 Before we leave for the village, where ingredients are scarce and we ration propane, we wanted to have fun making our gingerbread creations.

Lots of planning and scheming and laughing as we tried a new dough in addition to our old favorite Scandinavian dough.  I think this new dough is the best tasting gingerbread we've ever made!

Whole Wheat Gingerbread Dough

(from the 2001 Better Homes and Gardens Christmas Cookie magazine)

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening (or butter, since we don't have Crisco here)

1 cup sugar 

1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 1/2 teaspoons ground all-spice (we substituted ground cloves)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1/2 cup molasses (another substitute for us, treacle)

2 tablespoons lemon juice (we used lime juice)

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

Beat butter and shortening in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.  Add sugar, ginger, all-spice, baking soda, and salt; beat till combined.  Beat in egg, molasses, and lemon juice till combined.

Beat in as much of the all-purpose flour as you can.  Stir in any remaining all-purpose flour and the whole wheat flour.  Divide dough in half.  Wrap each portion in clear plastic wrap.  Chill 3 hours or till firm enough to roll.

Katherine made a tiny house with the angel Gabriel informing Mary about the upcoming changes in her life.

Since we made two different batches of dough, we had enough to add some whimsey, too, like this Body Pump instructor brandishing weights and a tank top.  He was needed to hold up the stable, which promptly collapsed as we were eating supper.

The stable was delicious.  And sleeping Joseph and his bed weathered the earthquake just fine.