-Robbie Shelton
1 c Firmly Packed Brown Sugar
3/4 c Sugar
3/4 c Honey
1/4 c Butter or Margarine
1/3 c Lemon Juice
6 c All-Purpose Flour
1/4 c Baking Powder
1/4 ts Salt
2 ts Ground Ginger
1 ts Ground Cinnamon
1/2 ts Ground cloves
1/2 ts Ground Allspice
2 lg Eggs
Red or Green Paste Food
-Coloring (optional)
24 4-inch Peppermint Sticks
Assorted Candies
16 6-inch Candy Canes
***DECORATOR FROSTING***
2 c Sifted Powdered Sugar
1 1/2 tb Meringue Powder
3 tb Water
An adult will need to make the gingerbread and cut the frame shapes, but
children as young as four years old can decorate and assemble the frames.
Make a template by cutting a piece of cardboard into a 5-inch X 7-inch
rectangle. Center and cut an opening 2 3/4-inches X 4 3/4-inches for the
picture. The dough is edible, so you can bake any scraps left over from
making the frames.
COMBINE first 4 ingredients in a medium saucepan (both sugars, honey and
butter); bring to a boil, stirring until sugar melts. Remove from heat;
stir in lemon juice. Pour into a large bowl, and cool to room temperature.
COMBINE flour and next 6 ingredients (baking powder, salt, ginger,
cinnamon, cloves and allspice). Stir 2 cups flour mixture and eggs into
sugar mixture. Gradually add remaining flour mixture, mixing well. (Dough
will appear dry.) Shape dough into a ball; knead on a floured surface
until smooth, adding paste food coloring, if desired.
ROLL half of dough into 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly greased cookie
sheet. (Placing a damp towel under cookie sheet will keep it from slipping
as you roll.) Using template, cut out 1 frame front (with opening) and 1
back; remove excess dough and set aside.
BAKE frame pieces at 325 degrees for 15 minutes or until firm. Loosen
gingerbread with a spatula, and let cool 1 minute on cookie sheet. Remove
to wire racks to cool completely. Repeat procedure with remaining dough.
TO ASSEMBLE FRAMES: Spoon Decorator Frosting into a decorating bag or a
heavy-duty, zip-top plastic bag; snip off end or small corner of zip-top
bag. On the back of each cutout frame, pipe frosting on three sides.
(Leave 1 side open for inserting photograph.) Push 3 peppermint sticks into
frosting. Pipe frosting on top of peppermint sticks, and attach solid
frame back. Let dry.
DECORATE frames with frosting and assorted candies, as desired. Let dry.
TO MAKE STAND: Carefully attach 2 candy canes to back of each frame with
frosting (the hook of the cane will be the bottom of the stand that
supports the frame). Let dry before standing. YIELDS: 8 frames.
DECORATOR FROSTING: Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl; beat at high
speed with an electric mixer 10 minutes or until stiff peaks form. cover
with a damp cloth to prevent drying. YIELDS: 1 1/2 cups.
This recipe is from CHRISTMAS WITH SOUTHERN LIVING 1994 pg. 128-29.
Yields
8 Frames