Gingerbread House Construction Basics
The construction of your gingerbread house closely follows the building concepts of a real house. Proper planning is essential. You can make the gingerbread ahead of time, ensuring it thoroughly cools in a dry area before securely wrapping it for storage. Allow plenty of time for assembling the baked pieces and for drying.
Simple Tips:
1. Create Templates: Cut basic structure templates for your house from poster board and test them by taping the pieces together. If it stands with poster board, it will likely be structurally safe for your gingerbread house.
2. Protect Templates: Cover poster board pattern pieces with clear contact paper or laminate them to clean and protect from stains.
3. Be Creative: Don't limit yourself to a plain box house. You can make virtually any shape, from an igloo to a Victorian or farmhouse.
4. Prepare a Base: Use a sturdy base, such as plywood covered with foil, a large heavy platter, or baking tray, to easily move the structure without base bending.
5. Consider Dimensions: The dimensions of your gingerbread house will be restricted to the size of a 12x15-inch baking sheet. Cut your templates accordingly.
6. Dough Thickness: The maximum thickness for dough should be 3/8-inch. Adjust thickness based on the size of your house.
7. Icing Preparation: Thin icing with a few drops of water if you want walls covered. Let icing dry completely before assembly. You can also cover walls with rolled fondant for a real house look.
8. Assembly Tips: Use Royal Icing as the "glue" using a pastry bag. Ensure everything is grease-free. Absorb moisture with uncooked white rice inside the house. Brush inside walls with a thin coat of Royal Icing or Candy Chocolate Coating in humid areas. Let dry before assembly. Melted Isomalt works wonderful for assembly, be very careful when working with hot sugar.
9. Stability: Apply a generous amount of icing glue to joints and press firmly. Glue walls to the base for more stability. Melted Isomalt works wonderful for assembly, be very careful when working with hot sugar.
10. Decorate: Use various decorating tips or a knife for icing decoration. Fill gaps with icing and smooth construction errors. Apply candy decorations with icing. Make dough scraps cut-outs for additional decoration.
11. Time-saving Options: If you're short on time, use cardboard and graham crackers or buy a gingerbread house kit and decorate it yourself.
Storage:
Let the house dry completely before wrapping for storage. If you don't plan to eat it, spray with acrylic spray to preserve it. Wrap and store your house using Easter Basket Cellophane Wrap found at Floral Supply Stores.
Kathleen's Favorite Gingerbread house Recipe
This is a delicious gingerbread house recipes, with beautiful spice flavor.
Ingredients
5 to 6 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon ginger
3 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cardamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon B & V – Butter Vanilla Powder Flavoring
1 cup shortening (or sweet unsalted butter)
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/4 cups Light or Dark Molasses
2 extra-large eggs, slightly beaten
Instructions:
Thoroughly sift dry ingredients together. Melt shortening or butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Mix in sugar, molasses, and eggs, then add dry ingredients. Knead on a lightly floured surface, adding extra flour if needed.
Refrigerate dough if not using immediately. Let it soften before rolling. One recipe usually makes one house. This recipe is not only for houses but also great for eating!
Making and Baking Gingerbread:
1. Place rolling Silpat Mat on flat surface, place 11x15 parchment, lightly flour working with 1/3 of the dough at a time, flattening it on a floured surface. Roll out to approximately 1/4-inch thickness.
2. Cut out pieces for your gingerbread house using templates, being sure to cut like size pieces on same baking parchment. Large pieces bake longer, small pieces bake less time.
3. Bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes. Test for doneness by touching lightly; it should leave an imprint. Cool completely before assembling.
Bake gingerbread 24 hours before assembly for best results.
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