Marlene's Gingerbread Dough

5 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. white sugar
1 c. crisco
1 c. unsulphured molasses
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. nutmeg
3 tsp. powdered sugar
Instructions
  • Melt shortening in saucepan.
  • Add sugar and molasses, mix well.
  • Make sure the sugar is fully dissolved.
  • Sift all the flour, baking soda, nutmeg, salt and ginger together in a mixing bowl.
  • Gradually stir in the dry ingredients into the melted shortening mixture.
  • Mix thoroughly.
  • After it's thoroughly mixed, divide the dough into three equal parts and shape each part into a ball.
  • Put each ball onto a ungreased cookie sheet.
  • Roll each dough ball into a rectangle (1/4-inch) thick.
  • After cutting the various parts, bake right on cookie sheets.
  • A damp towel underneath the cookie sheet will keep it from sliding while you are rolling out the dough.

1 lb. butter (4 sticks), room temperature
2-½ c. (+ 3 Tbsp.) dark brown sugar
12-¾  c. (+ 2 Tbsp.) all-purpose flour, more for dusting 
2 heaping Tbsp. ground ginger
2 heaping Tbsp. ground cinnamon
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
4 eggs, at room temperature
2 c. molasses
Zest of 2 lemons (optional)
Zest of 2 oranges (optional)
Instructions
  • Make half of the batch: In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together half the butter and half the sugar for 5 minutes, until fluffy. Scrape down sides.
  • Meanwhile, sift together the dry ingredients — the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt — and set aside half.
  • With mixer running at low speed, add two eggs, one at a time.
  • Mix in 1 cup molasses. Scrape down bowl.
  • In 3 batches, add half the dry ingredients, mixing just to combine.
  • To prevent any flour from flying out, make sure the mixer is off when adding each batch, and drape a towel over it when mixing.
  • Mix in zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange.
  • Pull dough out of mixer, and wrap in plastic wrap, or transfer to a resealable plastic bag. 
  • Repeat Steps 1 to 5 to make the remaining dough. Refrigerate overnight.
  • When ready to bake, heat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • Roll out dough: For each square, weigh out about 20 ounces of dough.
  • The goal is to end up with five 9-inch squares, so you’ll roll them out a bit larger, bake them and trim off the edges.
  • Lightly dust a large piece of parchment paper with flour.
  • Place the chilled dough on top. Roll side to side and up and down to make a rough square shape.
  • While you roll, make frequent quarter-turns so that the dough remains even.
  • Roll until dough is about 10 by 10 inches and a generous 1/4-inch thick.
  • Transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough. (Any dough left after the squares have been prepared can be rolled out 1/4-inch thick and used for cookies.)
  • In the oven, the slab will rise to about 3/8- or 1/2-inch thickness, which will make the house extra sturdy.
  • Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until even and firmly set. Place pans on racks to cool.
  • To prevent bending and cracking, carefully transfer to racks by lifting parchment paper.
  • When completely cool, stack the slabs, still on parchment, and set aside to dry out at room temperature for 3 to 7 days.