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Roland Mesnier

  • Article

    Preface - The White House in Gingerbread

    My memories transport me back to a time, just a few years ago and a few days before Christmas, when I was the White House executive pastry chef and the annual White House holiday parties have come to an end. We are busily cleaning the Pastry Shop. This is the time of year we go through everything—every refrigerator, walk-in co

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    Gingerbread for Home Kitchens

    This recipe is suited for the home kitchen and will produce enough gingerbread to make a house using the template provide in the back pocket of The White House in Gingerbread: Memories & Recipes book. Makes 2 sheets (12 x 18") Use a 5-quart mixing bowl Ingredients3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 3/4 cup granulated sugar 2 large eggs 5 ounces molasses (liquid measure) 5 ounces honey (

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    Gingerbread Cottage Decorations and Preparations

    Decorating Essentials Royal Icing with Egg Whites 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted 2 egg whites, strained Couple of drops of lemon juice Place confectioners’ sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Slowly add egg whites and mix to a smooth consistency. Add lemon juice and mix on medium speed for 10 minutes. Royal Icing with Meringue Powder 4 cups

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    Building Your Gingerbread Cottage

    First of all, every gingerbread house needs to be set on a base large and strong enough to support it. It must be bigger than the footprint of the house with enough space around it to place decorations. We usually filled the cases around our White House projects with many pounds of chocolate and marzipan decorations. If the base bends