Cousin's Ponds

by Judith
(Vermont)

Every year I make a gingerbread scene kit for my nieces and nephews to decorate. I also make edible characters and props to go in it. This year it was a pond scene with a gingerbread Fish Shanty to decorate, Christmas trees, toboggan, kids, animals and more. I sketched out many of the items and then drew on the gingerbread or with melted chocolate. For the pond I cooked down sugar and water to a hard crack stage like for hard candy and put it in a buttered foil to harden, then put a little cup to make a hole for ice fishing. I also swirled green food coloring into sugar cookie dough to draw on and cut out some Christmas trees. Then made a couple gingerbread poles and strung up gummy fish on a piece of raw spaghetti between the poles next to the ice. All this went to each house with royal icing and candy to decorate the scene and characters/props that they put together. Below are pictures of the scene and characters/props I sent for the kit.