Death of a Gingerbread Man

Some of you know that I have a tendency to "forget" to try new recipes before volunteering to serve them to guests/others. Yesterday, I was making some highly-anticipated gingerbread man cakelets with my new Williams Sonoma pan for our OT class party in the barn/mansion (See Dec 14, 2008 entry). I had images of cute, decorated gingerbread with carefully-piped faces and clothing. I could almost hear the "Oohs" and "Aahs" from appreciative OT students.

I carefully prepared the W.S. Gingerbread recipe, even taking the time to level off my flour measurements. I sprayed my non-stick pan with PAM and measured out 3 tablespoons of batter and carefully spread it into each of the six molds.

I set the timer and diligently checked on my little babies, baking them to clean-toothpick-perfection.

I patiently waited five minutes before inverting them onto a metal cooling rack.

I inverted the pan.

The men stayed put.

I carefully cut around the edges of the mold to give the little guys a little encouragement.

The men stayed put.

I tap-tapped the bottom of the pan and encouraged them. "You can do it!"

The men stayed put.

A little less carefully, I used a spoon to pry the cowards out.

A few arms and portions of heads came out, but the men stayed put.

I accepted defeat.

It was cold outside. I did not want to go to the store. It is one week before Christmas break. I had limited groceries.

I salvaged the remaining batter and baked it in a 8 x 8 cake pan, hoping I would have something to bring to the party. With one last attempt at creativity, I put some in mini muffins cups, picturing little gingerbread cupcakes with icing artfully drizzled on top.

The cake turned out presentable, but the muffins did not.

I really didn't want to waste my gingerbread men corposes and failed mini muffins. I took inventory of my kitchen and decided on creating a trifle (ironic, huh? for those of you who lived through Dessert Disaster # 243, the Chocolate Trifle).

I used every lost crumb of brown sugar in the apartment to create a caramel sauce, crumbled my mishap batches of cake, hoped my leftover can of whipped cream (disgraceful, I know) would last long for two layers and went to work.

Of course I was missing a beautiful, glass trifle bowl and "real" whipped cream and the presentation wasn't particularly appealing, which is probably why not too many people were brave enough to try it last night. Can't say I blame them.

BUT. I have to say...

I quite enjoyed the trifle. I even ate too much of it during 4th meal (thanks for inventing that, Taco Bell), back at my apartment after the party.

I wonder if I've learned my lesson yet!