Wednesday 21 December 2011

GIngerbread House


Last year, HK and I wanted to start a new Chrimbo Tradition of having a Gingerbread House.  What with last christmas being what it was, I didn't have the heart to do one.  I have this year.  I have never done one before.  I had two methods of doing it - cutters or silicone moulds.  I chose the moulds as they had more detail.  I will adjust the recipe (maybe) for the gingerbread, it is very thick - perhaps 3/4".  What I had in mind was more like the thickness and texture of a gingerbread man, per se.

I had a spare board and used that one.  Next time I'll use a bigger one by at least two or three inches.  I stuck the pieces together using royal/regal icing.  I don't know if there is a specific difference between royal and regal icing.  I used icing sugar and the white of an egg and a bit of tartar powder.

I used tins to support the sides and roof of the house whilst the icing was setting


You can see the detail of the moulds

I had fun decorating the house.  I used more royal icing to 'glue' all the sweeties in place.
I put shiny sprinklies all over it, plus a few snowflakes like I did with the Christmas Cup Cakes.

I'm quite pleased how it turned out.  I did want to make a path up to the front door and perhaps a couple of mini gingerbread men and trees on the board, but space wouldn't allow.  Next time I may even put sweeties in the house. 

3 comments:

paula said...

Never in my llife have I made a gingerbread house. AS a matter of fact, growing up we had molasses cookies but never gingerbreada. I always kidded Mom that the reason I turned out the way I did (when I was driving her nuts) was because she never made me any gingerbread cookies. We always got a good laugh out of that.

I can just see your CHristmas tree 10 years from now . . a whole gingerbread village on different levels of wooden planks . . LOLOL

You know what would be neat . . place something very special inside the home for MJ to wait for until you decide to eat the tree . . what a neat 2nd tradition with the gingerbread.

Now, must go and read more of your posts. I sure wish I could get your blog to show up on my reading list, but, alas, it doesn't :0{

paula said...

Cotton Candy/spun sugar smoke coming out of the chimney . . that is what I saw once . . really looked nice, but how do you get it to stand up?

LOLOL

CarpeDyem said...

I did think about putting sweets inside the house, but only when I had about finished decorating it and there were plenty of sweets left over!! But to put a little present in there for MJ - now I REALLY like that idea!

I think we call cotton candy - candy floss, I may be wrong. Spun sugar, if I think what I think it is, may be good idea. As for getting things to stand up........something to play with for next time!