gingerbread

[Bill Moore]

Originally Posted by sciguy125

I was watching a documentary on the Food Network about a gingerbread "house" competition. They don't make houses as much as scenes. The rule is that it has to be completely edible (with the exception of the base). Although, I'm not sure what constitutes being edible. One couple made a moving carousel that had some kind of round hard candy as bearings. The base of the carousel was essentially a thrust bearing. They also showed one contestant whose entry was destroyed during the flight.

Personally, I was watching this whole thing through the eyes of an engineer. I was just wondering if anyone had any ideas about how to inject some engineering into gingerbread structures. One thing I was toying with, but couldn't figure out was corregated gingerbread. There has to be some way to increase the strength of gingerbread walls. The other idea I was toying with was trying to introduce some sort of fiber into the dough. Sort of like adding fiberglass to cement.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to develop the edible transistor.

Being "edible" and being "flavorful" are not the same. With that understood, you need to find a hard food item that will not soften when baked in a cake batter. That probably leaves pasta out, but cinnamon sticks are edible, though not very easily, and they probably would withstand the rigor of baking. Try those for the upright supports.

For lateral support consider some long coarsely shredded cocoanut. The shreds will add fiber to help strengthen between the cinnamon supports.

Finally, use the same "glue" most bakers do: EGGS. The protein in the eggs serves as a wonderful binder for many baked items. Make sure the gingerbread recipe has plenty of eggs to glue it all together.

I wouldn't try to eat it, but it should be a good test to see what your next step should be.

Keep us posted on how it turns out!
(Yes, "Good Eats" is on my Christmas list.)