Using gingerbread, CorelDRAW, aluminum molds, a CO2 laser and frosting, Josie crafts a gingerbread colosseum for our local Festival of Trees.

Concrete Gingerbread Recipe

INGREDIENTS (Adapted from a Serious Eats recipe. Five batches used to make this Colosseum.)

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/8 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/3 plus 1 Tlbs. corn syrup
• 3 Tlbs. soft butter
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 1/3 cups flour
• INSTRUCTIONS
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients (except the flour) and mix in a stand mixer until well blended. Add the flour slowly until a good dough consistency is reached. I often add a 1/2 cup extra of flour. Kneed dough on a floured surface.
• Use two wooden chopsticks on either side of the rolling pin to reach a consistent thickness of gingerbread. We cut the windows with a CO2 laser but the openings could be cut with a knife as well.
• The dough was then cooked while on the aluminum mold and cooled on the mold to give it a rounded shape. Aluminum cans could be used to make a smaller colosseum.
• GINGERBREAD ICING
• 3 large egg whites
• 4 3/4 powered sugar
• 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar.
• Make sure to keep this icing in a bag and covered with a damp cloth or it will become cement-like fast.