Avoiding uneven edges
Clean up uneven edges by trimming edges with a small, sharp knife just as they come out of the oven. The trick is to cut them while they're still hot, before they harden. If your pieces have already hardened, you can pop them back in the oven for a few minutes until they're soft again, but you need to work quickly. You can either lay the pattern pieces right over the baked pieces to use as a guide for cutting, or if you've got a good eye for staight lines, just eyeball your trims. And remember that edges don't need to be perfect because they can be disguised later with frosting trim.
Correct dough thickness
If you're working with a normal size cookie sheet, start with a ball of dough no larger than a baseball. (If you start with too much dough, you're apt to roll the dough too thick.) After rolling, "feel" the dough with the palm of your hand by smoothing your palm over it. You shouldn't feel any overly thick or thin areas. Generally, you want a thickness of about 1/8 to 1/4 inch. Smaller pieces (like a chimney) should be thinner than the larger pieces. Thin is better than thick.
Remember to keep flouring your rolling pin to prevent sticky dough.
Avoiding pieces that stick to the baking sheet
Remove your baked pieces within 3-5 minutes after removing from oven. They should be still slightly warm (so they haven't hardened), but not so warm that theyıll fall apart during transfer to a cooling rack/wax paper. A flat pancake style spatula works best. Slowly work your way around the edges first, then towards the middle and carefully lift off the baking sheet.
Can I freeze gingerbread dough?
Wrapped in plastic wrap and put into zip lock bags or a sealed container, our dough recipe freezes nicely for up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator, and use within 48 hours for best results.
Can I freeze baked pieces?
We have had more success by separating baked pieces with waxed paper and storing them in a sealed container. They keep nicely this way for up to 1 month. Beyond that, they tend to lose their freshness and wonderful gingerbread aroma. Be sure they lay flat in the storage container to prevent warping.
FROSTING
Frosting consistency
Frosting being used for assembling your gingerbread project should be the consistency of soft toothpaste.
If you are using it to spread around your finished project to look like snow, it can be a little bit thinner.
To thin frosting, add water, a teaspoon at a time. To thicken, add more confectionary sugar, a tablespoon at a time.
How long does royal frosting keep?
For assembling a gingerbread project, we think fresh frosting works best. But, the frosting keeps well up to a month in a sealed container in the fridge, and you can use saved frosting for decorating. You will have to add warm water a little bit at a time and re-mix to thin it out.
Where can I buy meringue powder?
Your local cake decorating supply store or major department/craft store should carry meringue powder.
Can I used a product called "Just Whites" instead of meringue powder?
Yes! Just be sure to follow the recipe directions on the can.
Can I used canned frosing?
Canned frosting works great for graham cracker gingerbread houses in which a milk carton or cardboard base is used for support.
For Gingersnaps projects (or any gingerbread project made from scratch) only royal frosting is strong enough to ensure strong walls and lasting beauty!
How to I add color to the frosting?
First decide about how much colored frosting you need and place that amount in an appropriate sized bowl/container. We recommend gel or paste food coloring for the best color, but supermaket liquid ones will work in a pinch. Because liquid food color thins out the frosting, you may need to add additional confectionary sugar.
Start with 2-3 drops at a time and mix after each addition until you get the color you want.
