Gingerbread Dough (Half Recipe)

• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon each ginger, cloves, cinnamon and allspice
• 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons shortening
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 3/4 cup dark molasses
• 1/3 cup cold water
• Icing:
• 1 pound confectioners sugar
• 3 egg whites at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1. Stir together flour, baking soda, salt and spices, set a side. In large bowl of electric mixer beat shortening, brown sugar and molasses until well combined. Stir in water. Beat in flour mixture gradually. When dough becomes very stiff and mixer starts to labor, work in remaining flour mixture with wooden spoon, mixing well. Turn dough out on plastic, flatten slightly, wrap and chill several hours or over night. Divide dough un thirds. Roll each out directly on lightly greased floured cookie sheet to 1/4 inch thickness. Use ginger bread man cookie cutter to cut shapes. Lift off excess dough.
2. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven 15 minutes, cool on cookie sheet on rack
3. Icing:
4. In large bowl of mixer beat sugar, whites and cream of tartar 8 to 10 minutes or until stiff peaks form. Keep bowl covered with dampened paper towel and plastic so that icing does not get hard.

flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, shortening, brown sugar, dark molasses, cold water, icing, confectioners sugar, egg whites, cream of tartar

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/gingerbread-dough-half-recipe-50011857 (may not work)