Ruth from Oshkosh, WI (2018 Week 8: Biscuits)

Baker

Ruth

Location

Oshkosh, WI

Baking Challenge

Gingerbread Structure

Give your biscuits a name and tell us about your recipe.

GGMC…The Gingerbread Gingerbread Maple Caramel Cookies and Cake. I wanted to do a cake to sort of support/be the inside stadium of Miller Park. I found a couple of gingerbread cake recipes online and decided to mix and match with sugar levels and spices. The cake turned out on the savory side of sweet but I frosted it with a swiss meringue frosting that I flavored with homemade caramel sauce and WI maple syrup. The frosting was on the sweet side of sweet and balanced out the cake. The gingerbread cookie recipe I didn't mess with too much. I changed up a couple of the spices and added a bit more of the spices already called for. This was the first time I had ever made Gingerbread cookies or tried to make a structure of any kind. The icing I flavored with maple extract. The windows are made from butterscotch and green apple candies.

Would you describe yourself as a rogue baker, or do you strictly adhere to the recipe?

It really depends on how comfortable I am with the kind of baked good I'm attempting. Cookies and pie fall into the category of very nearly off the map, but first time recipes or ones with a more temperamental bake I tend to keep the guides within eyesight. I always like to play a bit with the balance of flavors.

Tell us about how you added a Wisconsin twist to your creation.

My husband is a huge Brewers fan. Some of my favorite dates with him were at Miller Park. In keeping with those memories, I decided to attempt a recreation of Miller Park…in gingerbread. If I had the space, I would have liked to make it twice as big and much more elaborate but because he was bringing it into work, it needed to fit on a cookie sheet. I'm proud that I was able to include most of the more notable details of the building. I really wanted to make a tiny 'Miller' sign for the front but that part didn't come together. Dedicated to Brewers fans and to my baseball loving husband…Play Ball!

How did you do?

Pleasantly satisfied.