Homemade Gingerbread
from Nancy Swett of NorthForkParents.com *

OK, this is from an out-of-print, used cookbook that I scooped up on my honeymoon. The recipes are always very good.

2 cups sifted all purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon double acting baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1-1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup unsulphered molasses
1/2 cup melted shortening
1/2 cup sour milk or buttermilk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup hot water

Sift the first eight ingredients together into a mixing bowl.
Stir in molasses, shortening, milk and egg
Beat in hot water.
Turn into a well greased, lightly floured 9x9x2" pan.
Bake in a preheated moderate oven (350 degrees) 45 minutes or until done.

Gingerbread House "Glue"

3 egg whites
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
3 - 3 1/2 cups icing sugar

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until they begin to foam. Add the cream of tartar and beat until the whites are stiff but not dry. Gradually beat in the icing sugar, beating for about 5 minutes until it reaches spreading consistency.

Makes one batch. It dries very quickly and is like cement. Keep it covered airtight.

Note: If you don't have any of the above ingredients, you can probably substitute or adapt here and there without fatal results. Also if you're missing a lot of the ingredients, a kit will work just as well, except if you really want to eat something good from the chimney to the floorboards, then you'll want homemade gingerbread.

* Nancy Swett lives in Jamesport with her husband, Cary, and their two children.

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