Honey Dough

1. 6 1/2 cups honey
2. 12 cups bread flour

Directions:

Bring honey to a boil over medium heat. Immediately remove when it starts boiling. Pour into a large mixing bowl–slowly add the bread flour using a bread hook on a mixer for 10-15 minutes.

Allow the dough to cool. Wrap in plasitc wrap and set aside overnight at room temperature.

Spice Dough

1. 1 1/2 ounces powdered baker’s ammonia (ammonium carbonate)
2. 1 cup water
3. 4 eggs
4. 2 cups light corn syrup
5. 8 cups all purpose flour, sifted
6. 4 tablespoons ground cinnamon
7. 3 1/2 tablespoons ground nutmeg
8. 4 tablespoons ground cloves
9. 4 tablespoons ground ginger
10. 12 ounce package of chocolate candy melts, melted

For Spice Dough

Dissolve baker’s ammonia in the water in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs and corn syrup and mix until combined.

In a separate bowl, sift the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and ginger. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet mixture using the bread hook on an electric mixer just until flour is incorporated. The dough will become very stiff, do not over mix.

Cut the honey dough into 3 portions and add into the spice dough one portion at a time, blending well. Knead the mixture by hand in a fold-and-press motion on a lightly floured work surface. (This is time consuming, but important so that the pieces cook evenly.)

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Divide into 4 equal portions. Lightly flour work surface, work with 1 portion at a time. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out until about 1/4 thick. While rolling, flour the work surface and rolling pin as needed.

Cut pieces as desired and then place them on a greased baking sheet placing one inch apart. Lightly brush the dough with milk.

Royal Icing

1. 4 egg whites
2. 5 cups confectioners’ sugar
3. 1 tablespoon cream of tartar
4. 1 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice