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 Food:
Gingerbread Outhouse
The holiday season is the time when pastry chefs turn
into architects, constructing intricate marvels from humble gingerbread,
icing and candy. While the soaring castles and complex grottos of the
pros may be beyond your skill level, the local craft store will be happy
to sell you a kit to build a serviceable house of your own. A house that
will no doubt be appearing in thousands of homes, all looking pretty much
the same.
With just a little extra effort you can make something
truly special, a heart-warming rural scene awaiting passing gingerbread
people who need to "go". Although construction of the house
takes about a week, allowing for pieces to set up and dry, it's extremely
simple to do.
As a bonus, unlike a real-life outhouse, this project
will lend your home a sweet, spicy smell and will be delicious to eat
for several weeks after construction.
Design
and resources
Our design is a 1/12th scale building based on the 1939 U.S. Forest Service
"One Hole Leaching Pit Privy" plan found in The
Vanishing American Outhouse by Ronald S. Barlow. While
our version lacks some of the niceties, like a vent stack for noxious
gases and a pit for soil, its one-piece sloped roof makes it fairly simple
to build.
Should you wish to explore different outhouse designs
or simply enjoy the collection of photos, history, and anecdotes Mr. Barlow
has assembled, his book is well worth a look. (The photos of the two-story
privies are especially mirth-inducing.)
For the nuts and bolts of gingerbread construction,
we turned to Festive
Gingerbreads by Evelyn Howe Fryatt. This book is abrim
with recipes, decorating ideas, and house plans that are little different
than the norm. Our gumdrop trees and pretzel stick fence were inspired
by photos in this book.
Another valuable resource, this one online, is Gingerbreadlane.com.
This site is generous with details about construction and preservation
and also includes a variety of recipes and many useful tips.
Supplies
As you go through the supply list and instructions, bear in mind that
they're just a starting place. If you've always fantasized about a peppermint-encrusted
outhouse or jelly bean crapper, go for it. Our choice of candies was mostly
determined by what the grocery store had in the bulk bins.
| General
supplies |
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Making pattern pieces:
- Downloadable pattern (Part
1, Part
2, Part
3)
- Metal straight edge (optional)
- Cardboard
- Glue stick
- Craft knife
Rolling out the dough:
- Parchment paper
- Rolling pin
- 3/16" diameter dowel
- Masking tape
Baking and trimming:
- Cookie sheet
- Pizza cutter
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Construction:
- Lazy Susan (optional but very nice)
- Cake circle big enough to cover lazy
Susan (at least 12")
- Construction square/right triangle (optional)
- Cans of soda or food (Nice for leaning
pieces against)
- Pastry bag or plastic baggie
- Round-holed icing decorator tip
- Cotton swabs (Used to apply of small
amounts of frosting)
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| Candy/decorations |
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Gingerbread house
- One stick gum (toilet paper)
- Peach slice (toilet seat)
- Chocolate, chocolate sprinkles or chopped
up raisins (waste matter - very much optional)
- Peppermint sticks
- Gummy bears
- M&Ms/Pokies
Path
- Mike & Ikes, M&Ms/Pokies or leftover
gingerbread
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Tree
- Ice cream cone
- Gum drops
- Blue, yellow food coloring
- M&Ms/Pokies
Snowman
- Marzipan
- Toothpicks
- Red, yellow, blue food coloring
- Thin pretzel sticks
Fence
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| Recipes |
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Gingerbread
You'll want your primary building material to be stale and a little
dry, great for construction use but not necessarily what you might
be looking for in a cookie. There are a number or recipes you can
use, one of which we've included at right. Others
can be found on RecipeSource.com
and GingerbreadLane.com.
Icing
Icing for gingerbread construction should be viewed as a construction
material rather than a tasty confection. A good icing should dry
fast and hard, which means that you'll need to keep the bowl of
icing covered with a damp cloth at all times when you're working
with it.
We highly recommend using meringue powder
rather than freshly beaten egg whites. Although egg whites are less
expensive, an icing made with them must be used immediately. Construction
and decoration of the outhouse takes place over several sessions,
which means that you'd have to make a fresh batch each time. By
contrast, the meringue powder-based recipe at right can be stored at
room temperature in a glass jar for up to two weeks.
Meringue powder can be found on the cake
decorating aisle of craft stores and some big box retailers such
as Wal-Mart.
If you'd prefer to use an egg white based
frosting, alternative recipes can be found on RecipeSource.com.
Prepare
pattern
Download and print out pattern. (Part
1, Part
2, Part
3)
Using a glue stick, adhere the pattern to
cardboard. Cut out the pattern along the pattern lines. A craft
knife (X-Acto) and metal straight edge are very helpful for this
step.
Tip: It
isn't necessary to cut the toilet seat hole or crescent moon in
the patterns. These can be free-handed when you cut out the gingerbread.
Do a "reality check" by holding the pieces together to
ensure that they're going to fit together correctly.
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Outhouse
Gingerbread
1/2 c melted shortening
1/2 c sugar
3/4 molasses
1 egg
2 1/2 - 3 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
Mix shortening, sugar, and molasses,
then mix in the egg. Stir in the dry ingredients.
Tip:
if you intend to eat this and you like your gingerbread spicy,
either grind your own spices or double the amounts shown.
Makes enough for one outhouse, plus
a little extra for a path and some nibbles.
Outhouse
Icing
3 1/2 c confectioner's sugar
1/3 c water
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
2 1/2 tbsp meringue powder
Beat together all ingredients except
sugar until foamy. Add sugar a little at a time, beating at
low spread so as to not whip in much air. Beat until icing
is thick, stiff, and dull in color, approximately 5-8 minutes.
Store in glass jars for up to two weeks.
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Prepare
gingerbread
Cover a pastry board with parchment paper and tape the paper down. Tape
a length of 3/16" wood dowel on each side of the pastry board. The
dowels should be close enough together to rest the rolling pin on, plus
about half an inch on either side for wiggle room.
Prepare one batch of gingerbread. Roll the dough
out between the dowels, a little at a time. Dust the back of the pattern
pieces with flour and lay on the dough. Cut the dough with a paring knife
or pizza cutter. Leftover dough can go back in the mixing bowl and be
reused.
Tips:
- If you're going to use a peach slice or other
candy for toilet seat, you don't have to cut a hole in the privy seat
since it won't show.
- Traditionally a ladies' outhouse was identified
by a crescent moon window while a men's outhouse was identified by a
star. If your outhouse is going to be for male use, you can carve a
five-pointed star in the door rather than a crescent moon.
- Roll out a little extra scrap material and
bake for crumbs to form dirt for the privy floor.
- If you want the path made of gingerbread,
roll out a layer of gingerbread dough. Trim to about 2" wide, making
it gently curved if desired. With a paring knife, carve in cobble shapes.
Bake.
 The
Outhouse Gingerbread dough is finicky and will lose its shape if moved
much! After you finish cutting out a group of patterns, untape the dowels
and parchment paper and carefully slide the entire piece of parchment
paper onto the cookie sheet. Cover the pastry board with a fresh piece
of parchment paper and replace the dowels before starting the next batch
of pieces.
Bake each group of pieces at 350 degrees for about
15 minutes.
Despite having very little leavening, the dough
tends to sprawl out a bit during cooking. To ensure that your pieces will
fit together accurately, after the gingerbread has cooled some but is
still warm, place each pattern piece on top and trim around it with a
pizza cutter or sharp knife. Place gingerbread pieces on wire rack and
allow to dry out for two or three days.
Construct
props
While the gingerbread pieces are drying out, you can make some of the
decorations.
Snowman
Roll three balls of marzipan, ranging in size from about an inch to an
inch-and-a-half. These will be your snowman's body; set them aside for
now.
Take a small amount of marzipan - about a half
inch ball - and tint it a deep purple to simulate black. Separate the
ball into two "coal eyes". Set these aside to dry for a bit.
(Since liquid food coloring isn't as intense as paste color, it will leave
the marzipan mixture a bit damp.)
Tint a smaller amount of marzipan orange to make
the "carrot nose". Set the marzipan aside to dry for a bit before
shaping a cone-shaped nose from it.
We're going to use toothpicks to strengthen the
snowman. Line a small plate with parchment paper or wax paper, and place
your largest, 1 1/2" diameter ball of marzipan on it. Jab two or
three toothpicks through the top of the ball. Stack the next smallest
ball on top, impaling it on the toothpicks. Add more toothpicks to the
top of that ball, then place the smallest ball on top. (Remember, if you're
not quite happy with the way your snowman looks at this stage, it's simple
enough to peel the marzipan off the toothpicks, roll new balls, and try
again.)
Carefully smush the eyes and nose onto the face.
Jab small pretzel sticks into the sides of the middle ball to form arms.
Set the snowman aside in a safe place.
 Tree
Prepare one batch of icing. Remember, this
icing dries out extremely quickly, so keep the bowl of it covered with
a wet towel at all times.
Line a small plate with parchment paper or waxed
paper and set an ice cream cone upside down on it.
Prepare green gum drop "leaves" by cutting
gum drops in halves or quarters lengthwise, then slightly scooping out
the flattened end.
In a small bowl, mix a small amount of frosting
(about 1/4 - 1/3 cup) with blue and yellow food coloring to make a green
base coat. This is going to be your "glue".
Starting at the bottom of the ice cream cone,
apply frosting about an inch up the cone.
Press on a gum drop bits, rounded edges down.
Make a layer all the way around the cone, then add more layers, adding
additional frosting as you work your way up to the tip of the cone.
Let dry.
Use either plain or tinted icing to glue candies
to the tree for decorations. Tip:
a cotton swab works pretty well for daubing icing on small candies.
Set the tree aside in a safe place.
Toilet paper
Warm and soften one stick of gum by carrying it in your pocket for awhile
or, if you're female, by placing it in your brassiere.
Once the gum is softened, unwrap it and roll it
up to make the toilet paper. A small bamboo skewer or round toothpick
is useful to start the rolling.
| Construct
outhouse |
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After the gingerbread has dried out for
two or three days, you may begin construction.
GingerbreadLane.com
recommends doing a test fit of the gingerbread pieces first, using
a rasp (from a hardware store) to true up pieces if necessary. Since
the pieces have already been trimmed to the patterns after baking,
hopefully rasping won't be necessary.
Gather supplies
and make icing
Gather up your construction supplies - a few cans of soda or food
to rest pieces against, a construction square to check angles, a
pencil, and a baggie and icing tip. Cover a cake circle with a layer
of aluminum foil and place it on top of the lazy Susan.
If you haven't already done so, prepare
a batch of icing. If you have a pastry bag, fit it with a round
tip that has about a 1/8" diameter hole (#6 tip), and spoon
in about 1/3 cup of icing. Otherwise, cut 1/8" off the end
of a zip lock plastic bag, spoon in about 1/3 cup of icing, squeeze
out excess air, and seal it.
Erect side,
back and bench
Decide where you want the outhouse to sit on the board. Using your
cardboard pieces, trace a rough outline on the board. For each set
of pieces, we'll ice the edges that meet and pipe icing on the outline
on the foil to glue them down.
Using a spatula or butter knife, spread
a moderate amount of icing onto one side of a privy bench vertical
support. Align the support with the bottom edges of the privy back
wall and press it on. Let it sit for a few minutes to dry.
Using your pastry bag or impromptu zip lock
bag substitute, pipe a moderate amount of icing on the foil where
the privy back wall and one of the privy side walls will stand.
Ice the edge of the back wall that will meet the side, then stand
the back wall on its icing line. Set the side on its icing line
and mate it to the back wall. Check the angles of the walls with
respect to the board and each other with a construction square.
Prop the walls in place with cans of soda, if desired. Allow them
to dry for a few minutes.
While you're waiting for those two walls
to dry, if you're going to cover the hole in the privy seat piece
with a candy toilet seat, glue the candy on that piece with a small
amount of icing.
Pipe a line of icing on the foil where the
second privy bench vertical support will need to stand. Ice the
edge of the seat support that will touch the existing side wall,
and stand the seat support on its icing line. Let it dry briefly.
Ice the bottom edges of the privy seat that
will rest on the two vertical supports. Press it in place and allow
it to dry briefly.
Daub a small amount of icing on the chewing
gum toilet paper roll and press it into place on the privy seat
piece.
Tip: We
prefer clean restrooms so we chose not to go this direction, but
an additional authentic touch can be added with a judicious application
of chocolate cake sprinkles, melted chocolate, or chopped raisins.
We'll leave it to your imagine what those might simulate.
Finish walls, add door and roof
Pipe a line of icing on the foil where the
second privy side wall will stand. Ice the edge of the back wall
and the privy bench that will be in contact with the side. Stand
the side wall in place and check its alignment with a construction
square. Allow it to dry for a few minutes.
Spread a thin layer of icing on the floor
area in front of the privy bench. Sprinkle on gingerbread crumbs
for "dirt".
Pipe a line of icing on the foil where the
front wall of the privy will stand, leaving an opening for the door.
Also ice the front edges of the side walls where they will be in
contact with the front wall. Press the front wall into place and
allow it to dry for a few minutes.
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 Apply
additional frosting and cookie crumb dirt to any privy floor areas that
are still visible.
Ice the bottom and back edges of the privy door
and press it into place, slightly ajar so the inside of the privy can
be seen. Allow it to dry.
Pipe icing along the top edges of all of the walls.
Press the roof into place.
Allow all of the icing to set up for a day before
applying decorations.
Decorating
and finishing
To decorate the outhouse, pipe or spread on icing
and press on candies as wished. If desired, additional decorative touches
can be added by using specialty tips on the icing bag to add swirls, zigzags,
stars, or icicles.
Make path
Spread a path of icing on the foil from the outhouse door out to the edge
of the cake circle. Press on candy "cobbles" or pieces of cookie
or graham cracker to form a path.
Add tree
Spread a layer of icing on the foil from the outhouse to the area you
want the tree. Place the tree on the damp frosting.
Add snowman
Spread a layer of icing on the foil from the outhouse to the area you
want the snowman. Press the snowman into the damp frosting.
Construct fence
Spread frosting over any uncovered areas of the board. Press a layer of
pretzel sticks into the damp frosting, spacing them so they're a little
closer together than the length of one stick.
Ti p:
the fence will be most stable if it isn't formed in a straight line.
Let the frosting dry a bit. Using a cotton swab
to apply icing to the ends, add a second layer of pretzel sticks to the
top. Use small broken bits of stick to ends for vertical spacers.
Add a third and fourth layer as desired.
Snow
Sift confectioner's sugar over the entire scene. For maximum control,
place a small spoonful of sugar in a small strainer, then tap the strainer
as you hold it over the scene. Repeat as desired.
You're done!
Now all you have to do is email
us a photo of your creation!
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