GINGERBREAD BUILDINGS - COUNTRY LIVING

      Title: GINGERBREAD BUILDINGS - COUNTRY LIVING
  Categories: Holidays, Decor
       Yield: 3 Buildings
  
            Paper for patterns,
            Cardboard, masking tape,
            Aluminum foil,
            Gingerbread Dough (recipe
            -follows)
            Royal Frosting (recipe
            -follows)
            Candy sticks, hard candy
            "holes"
            Colored sugar, dried fruit,
            Nuts
            Pointed ice cream cone for
            -steeple (opt.)
            Cotton batting and
            Artificial trees
  
   1. Make patterns: From paper, draw and cut out two 6 by 3 1/2-inch
   rectangles; label one "horizontal side" and the other "vertical
   side." Fold the vertical side in half lengthwise to make a 6 by 1
   1/4-inch rectangle. Label one short edge "top" and the other
   "bottom." Along the 6 inch cut edge, measure and mark a point 3
   1/2-inches up from bottom. From that mark, draw and cut a diagonal
   line to the top folded corner. Open pattern.
   
   2. Make cardboard frames: For each building (dough recipe makes 3),
   from cardboard, cut out 2 vertical sides, 2 horizontal sides, one 6
   by 3 1/2-inch rectangle for base, and two 6 1/2 by 3 1/2-inch
   rectangles for roof. Tape sides together (alternating horizontal and
   vertical) and stand up to make a box; tape securely onto base. Tape
   two 6-inch sides of roof pieces together and set aside. (Cardboard
   roof will be frosted and placed last.)
   
   3. Prepare Gingerbread Dough. Heat oven to 350'F. Cover 3 large baking
   sheets with aluminum foil. On prepared sheets, roll out gingerbread
   dough (onethird on each) to 1/8-inch thickness.
   
   4. Using paper patterns as a guide, cut gingerbread to make 2
   horizontal and 2 vertical sides for each building, leaving 1/4 inch
   between pieces. Remove and reroll trimmings; cut out doors, windows,
   window boxes, shutters, signs, and other decorative pieces, as
   illustrated or design your own. Place doors, windows, and other
   decorative pieces on gingerbread sides, making the front of some
   buildings on the horizontal side and some on the vertical side. Using
   knife, score gingerbread pieces to resemble shingles, bricks, or
   stone. Score doors and windows.
   
   5. Bake gingerbread pieces 12 to 15 minutes or until firm and golden
   brown. While still warm, measure against pattems and trim off excess
   caused by expansion during baking. Cool gingerbread on flat surface.
   
   6. Prepare Royal Frosting. Spread some Royal Frosting on cardboard
   frames. Press gingerbread side pieces onto frames. Tie a piece of
   yarn, string, or ribbon around building to hold gingerbread in place
   until secure. Set aside at least 30 minutes.
   
   7. When sides are secure, remove yarn. Set each building on a piece of
   aluminum foil. Stir frosting; spoon some into decorating bag fitted
   with 1/4-inch-wide round or star tip. Pipe a border at all corners of
   buildings, decorate sides with frosting, candy, colored sugar, dried
   fruit, or nuts. Print signs, if desired. Pipe some frosting along top
   edges of sides to attach cardboard roofs; press roofs into place.
   
   8. Generously frost roofs with remaining frosting to cover cardboard.
   Press candy onto roofs to resemble chimneys. Add additional candy
   decorations, if desired. To make church steeple, if desired, cut out
   2 V-shaped openings opposite each other in open end of ice cream
   cone, then place cone over point of roof and secure with frosting.
   Set buildings aside several hours or overnight to dry.
   
   9. Display on cotton batting surrounded by artificial trees.
   
   Country Living/December/92 Scanned & fixed by Di Pahl &
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