All you need:
For gingerbread dough:
1 1/2 c. Hy-Vee shortening
1 1/2 c. Hy-Vee granulated sugar
1 tbsp Hy-Vee baking powder
1 tbsp Hy-Vee ground cinnamon
1 tbsp Hy-Vee ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp ground cloves
3 Hy-Vee large eggs
1 1/2 c. molasses
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
8 c. Hy-Vee all-purpose flour
1/4 c. Hy-Vee cocoa powder
For black royal icing:
2 c. sifted Hy-Vee powdered sugar
1 1/2 tbsp meringue powder
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/3 c. warm water
1 (1 ounce) container black gel paste food coloring.
All you do:
For dough: In an extra-large mixing bowl, beat together shortening, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Beat until fluffy. Beat in 3 eggs until well-combined. Beat in molasses and apple cider vinegar. Gradually beat in flour.
Remove 2/3 of the dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill several hours or until easy to work with. Add cocoa to remaining 1/3 of dough. Beat or stir until well-combined. Wrap dough and chill several hours or until easy to work with.
Roll out a portion of lighter-colored dough on parchment paper to 1/8- to 1/4-inch thickness. Place pattern pieces on dough and cut out with a sharp knife. Remove excess dough. Transfer parchment to baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes. Replace patterns on hot gingerbread to re-cut edges that have spread. Return to oven for 2 to 5 minutes or until edges begin to brown. While still warm, cut the shutter pieces and front door in half, following dotted lines. Slide parchment onto cooling rack to cool completely. Repeat with more dough, parchment and pattern pieces. Use the dark-chocolate dough to make roof sides, porch roof and top and bottom.
For black royal icing: in a medium mixing bowl, combine powdered sugar, meringue powder and cream of tartar. Add water; beat on high speed for 5 to 7 minutes or until stiff peaks form. Beat in food coloring. Add more food coloring if necessary to make frosting black. Keep icing covered with plastic wrap when not in use. Fill decorating bag fitted with round tip.
When baked gingerbread is cool, use icing, sugars and candies to decorate sides of gingerbread house as desired. Also assemble shutters, front door and porch roof. Let dry a couple of hours before assembling.
To assemble, attach one wall at a time to house base using piped royal icing along the bottom and corner edges. Use several tumblers to hold walls in place until dry, 1 to 2 hours. Assemble dark chocolate roof pieces in the same way. When dry, attach the roof top with more icing. Finally, place assembled roof section on top of assembled house.
You may now add finishes such as candy corn on roof-top, front steps, licorice fence, etc.
Daily nutritional values:
Nutrition information per serving: