Gingerbread House
My daughter loves to make this house and likes to choose what lollies decorate it. We fill the house with lollies which you shouldn't be able to eat until Christmas day but little finger seem to be able to find ways of getting at them well before that. It is best to make this house over two days so as to allow time to cook it and for it to set. The house makes a great table decoration for Christmas. It will last for up to 2 weeks after making it.
Portions: Makes 1 Ginger Bread House
Ingredients
Gingerbread
- 1 recipe of ginger bread (see recipe index)
- 100g boiled lollies, broken up into pieces.
- Front & Back of House: Triangle 17cm*15cm on a rectangle of 10cm*15cm
- Side Panels *2 of House: Rectangle 18cm*10cm
- Roof *2 of House: Rectangle 20cm*17cm
- 500g ready made white icing (for the board)
- 200-300g ready made white icing (for the snow man)
- 25g red icing (snowman's hat)
- 25g ready made green icing (Christmas wreath)
- 1 red licorice or string (snow mans scarf)
- smarties to decorate the house
- edible silver balls to decorate the house
Royal Icing
- 3 dried egg whites (reconstituted)
- 700g icing sugar
- or use a ready to mix royal icing mix
Method
Gingerbread- Front Panels: Preheat an oven to 180°C. Divide the gingerbread dough into 6. Take one of the dough pieces and roll it between two sheets of non stick paper so that it is 4-5mm thick (parchment paper). Take the front of house panel templates and cut around it with a sharp knife so as to mark the outline onto the gingerbread. Remove the top sheet of non stick paper and cut the front panel out of the gingerbread (keep the bottom sheet uncut). Repeat this process with a second piece of dough, cutting out a second front panel. Cut a door out from one of the front panels (keep it in place for baking).
- Side Panels: Roll out a third piece of gingerbread between non stick paper and cut out a side panel as you did for the front panels (cut a second side panel with the fourth piece of gingerbread dough). Cut out two windows from each side panel.
- Roof: Cut two roof panels with the fifth and sixth piece.
- To Cook: Place the gingerbread with the parchment paper onto baking trays (keeping the side panels on a separate tray) and place them in the preheated oven. Cook the gingerbread for 10-15 minutes, removing the side panels after 7 minutes. Fill the side panel windows with the broken pieces of boiled lollies and return them to the oven for a further 5-7 minutes.
- Remove the gingerbread from the oven and allow them to cool on wire racks. When cooled remove the parchment paper. Decorate the gingerbread or store it in a sealed container for 1 day before decorating.
- Mix together 100g white icing with 2 tsp water so that you have a sticky icing paste. Stick the smarties around the windows with the icing. Spread a curved line of the icing on either side of the door and place a line of silver balls on it. Roll out the green icing into 2 snake strips 5cm long twist the two together and join them together into a circle so that you have a wreath. Decorate the wreath with silver balls sticking them on with the icing. Stick the wreath onto the front of the door. Leave all of this to set for 2-3 hours.
- Dust a worktop with icing sugar. Roll out the premade icing so that it is large enough to cover the cake board. Cover the cake board with icing and trim the edges.
- Royal Icing: Reconstitute the dry egg whites with water using the instructions (it is best to use dry egg whites as they are safe at room temperature while fresh eggs are not). Mix the egg whites together lightly so they are combined. Sift a bit of the icing sugar at a time into the egg whites stirring it in each time. Beat the icing well until it is thick and glossy. Cover the icing with cling film.
- Spread the royal icing on the sides of the wall panels with a palate knife. Stick the wall panels onto the cake board so that the sides of the panels touch, use cans to support the walls by placing them behind the panels. Stick M&Ms or a similar small sweet along the icing edges where join the panels.
- Spread a little of the icing on one of the longer lengths of the door and stick it on to the house so that it is slightly open. Cover the icing with cling film. Leave the icing to set for 2-3 hours until it is totally set.
- Fill the house with your families favourite sweets. Spread some royal icing along the remaining edges of the house and carefully place on the roof panels. Leave the icing to set for 3-4 hours or overnight to dry. Cover the royal icing with cling film and place in a cool place until ready to finish decorating the house.
- Using a palate knife spread the royal icing over the roof so that it is well coated (little bits of icing may drip off, this simply adds to the effect).
- Snowman: Shape the icing into two balls one slightly larger than the other. Place the larger ball at the side of the house on the cake board. Using a little water stick on the smaller ball of icing. Place 3 small silver balls down the front of the larger ball (for buttons), use another 3 balls for his eyes and nose. Shape a little smile with a little of the red icing for his hat and stick it on with a little water. Make a small ball with the remaining red icing and flatten it so that you have a beret, stick this on the top of the snowman for a hat. Using a little of the red licorice or string tie a scarf around the snowman's neck.
- Sift a little icing sugar over the ginger bread house and iced cake board with a sieve to give an icing effect. Place the gingerbread house in a prominent position in the house as a Christmas decoration. The house will keep for up to 2 weeks in a cool place. When ready break it open and eat!!!