Gingerbread Panels

• Produce

  • 4 tbsp Ginger, ground

• Refrigerated

  • 6 Egg, large
  • 80 g Pasteurized egg whites

• Condiments

  • 2 drops Lemon juice, fresh
  • 15/16 Scant cup Molasses, unsulphured

• Baking & Spices

  • 1 4 3/4 cups (600 grams flour, generous
  • 2 tsp Baking powder
  • 2 oz Chocolate, unsweetened
  • 2 oz Cocoa powder, unsweetened
  • 5 1/4 cups Flour
  • 1 Food coloring
  • 2 cup Granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp Kosher salt

• Dairy

  • 2 lb Butter, unsalted

• Other

  • About 3 1/2 cups (1 pound confectioners' sugar
  • Luster dust (optional; see headnote

Found on washingtonpost.com

Description

Ingredients

• 2 ounces (57 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Valrhona brand
• A generous 4 3/4 cups (600 grams) flour, preferably King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons ground ginger
• 1 pound (454 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs (150 grams total)
• Scant 1/2 cup (170 grams) unsulphured molasses
• 2 ounces(57 grams) unsweetened chocolate, melted
• About 5 1/4 cups (650 grams) flour, preferably King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons ground ginger
• 1 pound (454 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs (150 grams total)
• Scant 7 tablespoons (150 grams) unsulphured molasses
• About 3 1/2 cups (1 pound) confectioners' sugar
• About 80 grams pasteurized egg whites
• 2 drops fresh lemon juice (optional)
• Food coloring (optional)
• Luster dust (optional; see headnote)

Directions

• For the chocolate gingerbread: Whisk together the unsweetened cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, salt and ground ginger in a container. Beat the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer or handheld electric mixer on medium-low speed for a few minutes, until creamy. Stop to scrape down the bowl. On low speed, gradually add the sugar, beating until well incorporated. Stop to scrape down the bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until incorporated before adding the next. Stop to scrape down the bowl. Add the molasses and melted chocolate; beat on low speed. The mixture will look as if it's separating, but that's okay. Add the dry-ingredient mixture; beat on low speed just until incorporated, to form a soft dough. Divide the chocolate gingerbread dough in half. Roll out each half between sheets of parchment paper to a rectangle with a thickness of 1/4 inch. Stack on a baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (and up to 2 days), until firm and well chilled. For the light gingerbread: Rinse out and dry the mixer bowl. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and ground ginger in a container. Beat the butter in the now-clean bowl of a stand mixer or handheld electric mixer on medium-low speed for a few minutes, until creamy. Stop to scrape down the bowl. On low speed, gradually add the sugar, beating until well incorporated. Stop to scrape down the bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until incorporated before adding the next. Stop to scrape down the bowl. Add the molasses, beating on low speed. Again, the mixture may look as if it's separating, but that's okay. Add the flour mixture; beat on low speed just until well incorporated, to form a soft dough. Divide the light gingerbread dough in half. Roll out each half between sheets of parchment paper to a rectangle with a thickness of 1/4 inch. Stack on a baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (and up to 2 days), until firm and well chilled. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners. Lightly flour the cookie cutters you’ll use. Working with one sheet at a time of either dough, transfer it to a clean work surface and remove the top sheet of parchment. Invert the dough and remove the parchment on the other side. Use a straight edge to cut 2 3/4-by-5 1/2-inch and 3-by-3-inch panels -- as many as you can without rerolling the dough. Use the cookie cutters to cut out shapes from any scraps you can. Reroll the remaining dough, again between two pieces of parchment, and return it to the refrigerator to firm up. Use the cookie cutters to cut out shapes in the tall and short panels; interchange light and chocolate gingerbread pieces as you like, pressing them in gently. (Re-flour the cutters as needed.) Use the drinking straw to create pairs of holes (for joining the pieces with ribbon, later), making sure they line up with the panels you plan to connect. For a mantel set as shown in the accompanying photo, you would want to punch 2 holes on the right side only of 1 tall panel; punch 2 holes on the left and right sides of two short panel squares; punch 2 holes on the left and right sides of 1 tall panel; and punch 2 holes on the left side only of 1 tall panel. Transfer to the baking sheets, spacing the panels at least 1 1/2 inches apart; turn them over, because the seams will be cleaner-edged on the other side. Return to the refrigerator to keep them chilled and shaped. Bake one sheet at a time (middle rack), for 12 to 15 minutes, until browned on the edges and set. As soon as they are out of the oven, use the straw to re-open any holes that may have closed up a bit during baking. Let the cookie panels cool completely. Repeat to bake all the cookie panels and cutout cookies. For assembly: Combine the confectioners’ sugar and egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer or handheld electric mixer; beat on medium speed until smooth. Add the lemon juice, if using (which helps the icing dry). The consistency of the icing should be pipeable but not too stiff. Cover the bowl with a damp paper towel. Use the Microplane zester to gently grate/smooth and straighten edges that may have spread during baking. (You can do this before you decorate or after the decorated panels have dried.) Color the icing, if desired; transfer to piping bags fitted with a small round tip and decorate the tops and/or bottoms of the tall panels and/or around the cookie inserts. Sprinkle luster dust on top, if using. Let dry completely. Lay the mantel-piece panels close together on a clean dish towel. Use ribbon to thread through the holes, connecting the pieces. Carefully stand the panels upright, adjusting them so they zigzag.

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