Evelyn Sjovall  e.sjovall@evelynskitchen.net

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Newsletter month of November and December 2005

This month we will bake some “Lebkuchen”, you call it Ginger Bread. Let us start with a little history and then I’ll let you try my recipes. The students in “Cottonwood High School” did an outstanding job on it.
1487 history tells us, that Gingerbread was served for the first time in Germany. Friedrich III, the Emperor of Germany called 4000 boys and girls in Nürnberg, Germany to his Burg, to serve the children a gingerbread with his face on it.

Especially around x-mas boys and girls all over the world love to eat ginger bread. During the 15th century the little gingerbread houses were not invented yet, they served a flat wafer type cake at that time. The word “Lebkuchen” appears for the first time in a cookbook in 1409. Really well know’s the “Lebkuchen” that came with the fairytale in the 19th century “Hänsel&Gretel”, where the witch lives in a house made from gingerbread and other goodies. You all don’t have to go into the dark wood or fight with the witch in order to get gingerbread, all you have to do is get started on the recipes.

Gingerbread House

Gingerbread houses have a long tradition in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. During the “Advent”, the four Sundays before x-mas, they stand in the middle of the table as a centerpiece. Some have light in them, some are decorated in a very unique way, some are preserved ‘til next x-mas, but most of them don’t make it over the holidays.

To make a gingerbread house is a little longer process as you might think. Although it does not have to be a day filling program. I have chosen a house that is very easy to make and the only challenge you will find, is decorating your house to your liking. All in all it will take you about 3 hrs. of preparing, baking, and decorating.

Let’s start with the ingrediences:

1 pound of honey (little more is fine)
2 cups of water, depending on the dough heat honey and water so it combines, than put aside to cool of
4 cups all purpose flour and ½ cup whole wheat flower
4 tablespoons of baking soda (double-acting would be good)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves mix in a bowl to prepare for mixing with the rest

Now mix honey/water with flower and spices until nice and mixed up. Add water if the dough needs it.
Put dough into a pan (11”by17”) covered with baking paper.
Leave dough to rest for a while and make the frosting for decoration. (about 20-30 min)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees, bake ‘til the dough is brown (about 30min).
Let dough cool a little (cut when still warm), then cut the pieces according to your pattern with a sharp knife.

Frosting:

2 egg whites
2 ½ cup of confectioner’s sugar
candies and cookies for decorating
In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with a whisk or an electric beater until they are frothy and slightly thickened. Sift the sugar into the whites ½ cup at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Continue to beat for about 5 minutes, or until a stiff icing is formed.

By putting the house on a base and the base on a cake wheel (this way you can turn the house in any direction decorating it) you will start using the icing as a glue to put the part together.

Now, let’s have fun decorating!

Take your cake pan to make a pattern for your house. On one side of the pan will be your roof, makes two pieces, other side you must fit in the triangle that goes as front and back house. You only have three pieces.

Now I would like to wish you and your family a very pleasant holiday season. See you again next year in one of my classes.

Yours truly
Evelyn Sjovall

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