Gingerbread is a seasonal favourite that dates back to the fifteenth century. Originally a dense cake flavoured with honey and aromatic spices like cinnamon and allspice, since the Victorian era it more commonly takes the shape of crisp biscuits in the form of houses or people.

The Victorian era shifted the way that December holidays, and Christmas in particular, were celebrated. At the same time, architecture and the celebration of death and memory were also transformed, with ever-more elaborate material culture. You can experience these Victorian revolutions by baking your very own gingerbread parish church and churchyard, with cinnamon, spice, and everything nice.

Ingredients

Dough:

2 cups molasses (or treacle)

1 cup equal parts butter and lard, mixed

2 tablespoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon baking soda

Flour, enough to make mix stiff (approximately 4-6 cups)


Icing:

4 egg whites

4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (icing sugar)

1 teaspoon peppermint extract


Decorative candies, sugar, etc. to design your churchyard landscape

Directions

1. Melt butter in saucepan over medium-low heat, then add molasses and spices. Warm your kitchen with the aromas of the holiday season.

2. Dissolve baking soda in a tablespoon of very hot water. Add to butter mixture.

3. Stir in flour gradually, until the mixture forms a stiff dough (your muscles will tell you its time to stop).

4. Roll out on a floured surface to 1/4-1/3 inch thick (for structural pieces, thicker maybe a bit more sound). Use a knife and template to cut the pieces to build a church, monuments, trees, and any other landscape features you can dream up.

5. Refrigerator for 15-20 minutes. Dough will feel firm and cool to the touch.

6. Bake in preheated oven (175 degrees C/350 F) for 10 to 15 minutes until lightly brown and aromatic. NOTE: Baking time will vary between large and small pieces. Try to group biscuits of similar sizes on baking sheets.

7. Let cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare icing: beat egg whites in large bowl with a mixer at high speed, until foaming. Add sugar gradually, then extract. Beat until thick.

8. With icing in piping bag, begin construction. Use icing to join pieces of gingerbread together; pieces may need to be supported until icing sets (it will become cement-like).


Your imagination is the only limit. Consider lighting the church by putting a small string of Christmas lights or battery operated tealights inside. Using extra icing to create a snowy landscape. Populate the scene with visitors to the cemetery or woodland critters. Melt hard candies to create stain glass, frozen rivers or ponds. Make sure to display your creation - at one time, visiting one's ancestors was an important part of the holiday season.


Recipe adapted from The Old Foodie.