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Chocolate Gingerbread Two Ways — Beginner and Expert

YumSugar — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 03:00:56 -0800

If you're looking to wow a crowd, a decadent chocolate dessert will never disappoint. And 'round this time of year, gingerbread is the fastest way to touch the holiday spirit. Why not combine the two and make a chocolate gingerbread cake? Gift these basic and satisfying chocolate gingerbread bars, or pull out a showstopping gingerbread cake that's topped with chocolate ganache and crystallized ginger. Either way, you're sure to bring loads of merriment and joy. To see both recipes,

Here Comes the Neighborhood! (Part 2)

YumSugar — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 11:13:31 -0800

When we asked for your own gingerbread-house creations, I was surprised by the number of entries. There were 30 of them, and each one is fantastic! If you missed it, we posted the first fifteen entries this morning, but now it's time for the next fifteen! This set covers everything from a beach hut to a concert stage, including a replica Snoopy dog house! To check out the neighborhood,

Here Comes the Neighborhood! (Part 1)

YumSugar — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 01:32:19 -0800

This month we challenged you to create your own gingerbread house. I thought that a few of you might take me up on it, but I didn't think 30 of you would! Our neighborhood ranges from Hello Kitty to toy trains, and they were so beautiful and creative, you put our houses to shame. There were so many creations I've split the list up into two parts. Part one is below, and part two will be posted later today. Be sure to look through them all!

Start with entries one through fifteen, just

Which Gingerbread House Do You Prefer?

YumSugar — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:13:39 -0800

CasaSugar recently asked which Sugar HQ gingerbread house you preferred. It's been a back and forth struggle between PartySugar's Snowy Log Cabin and BuzzSugar's Dr. Gingerbread House. However — mostly because we've got a healthy sibling-like competitive spirit — we want to know which of ours do you prefer? Party's Traditional Cabin or my Mid-Century Modern? Be honest, we're tough skinned! And, if you want to get in on the gingerbread making fun, we're still accepting gingerbread house submissions. Get them in by tomorrow to be included in the Friday "neighborhood" roundup!

Which Gingerbread House Do You Prefer?

PartySugar's Snowy Cabin

YumSugar's Mid-Century Modern

Mid-Century Modern Gingerbread House

YumSugar — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 07:56:19 -0800

The other day, CasaSugar asked you which Sugar HQ gingerbread house you preferred. Many of you said PartySugar's Lagito Cabin Gingerbread House, but my Mid-Century Modern charmed some of you folks as well. Earlier you got the step-by-step for hers, so today I thought I'd give you the step-by-step for mine. And if it inspires you then join us! We're currently asking you to submit your own gingerbread house!

I started off by creating my concept. Once I had the crude drawing, I got some scraps of cardboard and created a life-size model. If you're going to create your own house, I recommend you doing the same. The cardboard pieces will be used to cut out each wall piece.

To get the rest of my steps and up close pictures of each side and all the components,

Gingerbread House Challenge — Submissions Due Dec. 18

YumSugar — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 10:50:21 -0800

If you've been inspired by all of our gingerbread action, then why don't you get cooking and create something too?! There's still time to enter our gingerbread house challenge. Read below to find out how.

I hereby challenge you to create your very own gingerbread house. You could make it with homemade gingerbread, or store-bought; you could even use graham crackers or a kit! So use your imagination, set aside an afternoon and get decorating!

Here's how to get your submission included in our roundup:

On TeamSugar, or on your own blog or photostream elsewhere, upload photos of your gingerbread house creation (be sure to include a link to this post).
Notify me via email (yumsugar@gmail.com) or PM by Tuesday, Dec. 18 with the following information:
- Name you want me to use & city (so I can give credit)
- Your blog name or TeamSugar name
- Link to your post
- A photo of your gingerbread house - preferably 200px wide

I can't wait to see what you guys come up with! The full "neighborhood" roundup will be posted on Dec. 21.

Source

52 Weeks of Baking: Gingerbread

YumSugar — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 13:31:31 -0800

CasaSugar and I recently got into a debate over who could make the best gingerbread house. I hadn't actually made one from scratch ever, and was about 10 years old when I last put one together. However neither of these things stopped me from talking up how great my house would be. I had the best plans and great ideas; only problem was I didn't have a recipe and didn't know where to begin. So I did some research, rolled up my sleeves, and started mixing. The recipe I found — from Bon Appétit — actually makes way more gingerbread than necessary for one house. With all the leftover dough I decided to make a few gingerbread men. Only problem was, I didn't actually have a gingerbread-man cutter. So I used a knife and freestyled.

The end result was a gingerbread man with one arm larger than the other. I fixed that problem by piping on an icing cast. His neck also received a hairline fracture because I moved it to the cooling rack before it was ready. I covered this up by piping a little tie on him. And since he had a tie, I felt he needed a cellphone, too. No matter what you end up doing, just have a good time. I'm going to share details on my house later this week, and now I'm off to invest in a good gingerbread-man cookie cutter!

To get the gingerbread recipe I used,

The Lagito Cabin Gingerbread House

partysugar — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 08:30:00 -0800

After twelve hours, five emergency trips to the grocery store, three batches of royal frosting, and two house threatening crises, my log gingerbread snow cabin with frozen lake was completed and ready to enter the challenge. Let's hope it wins the the SugarHQ best gingerbread house contest!

It was a tough, time consuming project, but the final result — an amazingly cute gingerbread house — was well worth the effort. I couldn't have done it without the expertise of an incredibly creative friend, the support of very loving parents, and the candy from a recently opened old-school candy shop. To check out a gallery of images of The Lagito Cabin and learn more about the house making process — along with my tips for future builders —

Yummy Link: Gingerbread House Making Tips

partysugar — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 06:01:39 -0800

I'm so glad I came across this gingerbread house how to. I'm making my house for our gingerbread house challenge this weekend and the step-by-step instructions are super helpful. Check it out and enter our challenge! — Simply Recipes

Deck the Haus: KMD Architects Has a Sweet Tooth

YumSugar — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 14:57:07 -0800

Deck the Haus: KMD Architects Has a Sweet Tooth
KMD Architects, a San Francisco-based architecture firm, has traded their mediums of glass and steel for sugar. That's right, KMD recently constructed a dynamic gingerbread version of San Francisco's famed Chinatown Gate.

How Well Do You Know Gingerbread?

YumSugar — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 11:08:38 -0800

We launched our Gingerbread House Challenge earlier this week — submissions due Dec. 18 — and before you begin your edible architecture, I thought we would see how much you know about gingerbread. Ready to see how you fare? Source

Who Needs a Terracotta Army When There's a "Pannacotta" One?

YumSugar — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 05:01:33 -0700

Twenty of China's famous Terracotta soldiers are currently on display at the British Museum in London. The exhibit, which runs until April 6, 2008, is the largest of its kind outside of China.

So what do terracotta soldiers have to do with food? The folks at The Pastry Case bakery have created their own army. Dubbed "The Pannacotta Army" — although no pannacotta is actually involved — the army consists of over 200 miniature gingerbread warriors, each in their own battle garb.

According to a press release, Kelly Burgess of Roberts Bakery/The Pastry Case said:

"We have been amazed at the interest shown in the Terracotta army and wanted to treat Cheshire visitors to a private viewing, so we came up with our own idea of the Pannacotta Army."

The army will be on display at the Nantwich Food and Drink Festival in Cheshire County, UK.

I'd love to see the terracotta soldiers, but think a gingerbread army is fantastic too. What do you think?

Source