Gingerbread season is officially behind me.  93 houses baked and given away this year.  Five separate gingerbread house decorating parties.  Many, many happy children (and adults).  50 some pounds of flour, dozens upon dozens of eggs, and what seems like a metric ton of powdered sugar consumed.  

But one of the things I love about doing gingerbread each year is that I'm always figuring out new things, and I'm always learning from the creativity of my friends and children at our gingerbread parties.  The Santa made out of a gummy hose and some gumdrops.  The fabulous trees made from green mini reeces pb cups and Hershey kisses.  People come up with the coolest ideas every year!

My successful experiment this year was for the big gingerbread house I baked and decorated as a door prize for my daughter's Irish dancing school's annual Christmas show.  

I used Wilton icing sheets and painted with food coloring to fill the empty windows.  I would have pasted them on from the inside, had I not already stuck on the roof.  Next year!

So what cool tip/trick/decorating technique did you discover this year?

Hah, I'm getting ahead of myself.  I meant 2012!

I learned that when I ran out of ginger and I subbed in cayenne it made a better product--I had some ginger but not enough then with the cayenne added the taste was smoother and did not punch you like straight ginger can you still had the gingeryness and some sweet heat but it was a great substitution that is now permanent for me.

So for 4 teaspoons of ginger I used one of ginger and about a nice big 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne.

And modthyrth, you house is rockin'! Your proportion is spot on. Love the meringue lacey pieces, the roof is brilliant--it's candy with a perfect twist, chimney awesome and the crystal sugar trees --so very well done Bravo!!!

Cayenne?  In all my years of gingerbreading, I never would have thought of that!  I'm half-tempted to whip up another batch right now to taste it!

I know! And I thought oh no I don't have enough ginger can't wait on this till I can get to the store for more ginger--wah woh woh--what can I do.

I couldn't believe it worked.

I was just thinking good save no one will know haha sneaky sneaky. Then my son a former fine dining chef liked it better. So then after that I did another batch all ginger and I realized that it was not just a sneaky save it was better. Knock me over with a feather.

Anyway, if you run low on ginger or get daring... :)