Here's the outer courtyard with wash basin, altar of burnt offering, and the Holy Place and Most Holy Place. Lucy did the wash basin, but, sadly, I don't have a good picture of it.
A closer look at the Holy Place and Most Holy Place.
The Holy Place with table for the showbread, the altar of incense and the lampstand.
The Most Holy Place. Cherubim on the Ark of the Covenant by Edmund.
Altar of Burnt Offering.
These are the recipes we've been using for two generations in our family for gingerbread fun at Christmas. We've never made a Tabernacle before, however. It just so happens that a scale model puts the Holy Place and Most Holy Place together at 30 centimeters, or about the length of a standard ruler. The width and height are 10 centimeters each. The outer courtyard is 100 centimeters by 50 centimeters (that's a little over a yard by half a yard).
Gingerbread for Men or Houses
Bake at 350F for 15 minutes.
1/3 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar, packed
12 oz. (1 1/2 cups) dark molasses
2/3 cup cold water
7 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda (aka bicarbonate)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Mix shortening, sugar and molasses thoroughly. Stir in water. Sift remaining ingredients together and stir in. Chill dough. Heat oven to 350F. Roll dough 1/2 to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut shapes. Bake at 350F for 15 minutes, switching racks halfway through baking. When done, no imprint will remain when touched lightly with finger.
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Royal Icing for Gingerbread House Construction
1 pound sifted confectioner's sugar
3 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract (I always use 1 teaspoon lemon juice)
drop of water at a time to reach desired consistency. (When I use the lemon juice I never need the water.)
Beat well, approximately 6 minutes.
Makes enough for one batch of gingerbread houses.
When we make houses, we cut from a pattern using a 3X5 card for a roof and a card cut to 2 1/2 by 5 for sides. From that, you can cut ends that match the height of the sides and form a point where the roof meets. It's fun and easy to do, and they're really cute! :)
