Christmas Gingerbread House
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Recipe Overview
Preparation time: 90 minutes plus setting time
Cooking time: 14 minutes per tray
Ingredients Needed
- 125g/4ozs butter, at room temperature
- 100g/3.5ozs brown sugar
- 125g/4ozs golden syrup or molasses
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 450g/1lb cake flour* (you may need a smidgen more)
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon mixed spice
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- Plain flour, to dust
For Royal Icing
- 30g/1oz egg white
- 225g/7.9ozs pure icing or powdered sugar
- 1-2 teaspoons lemon juice
You will also need:
- 3 metre fairy lights (you can get these from the supermarket and Kmart)
- Decorative Christmas trees
- 7 sheets gelatine
- Template for Gingerbread Glasshouse
Cake flour can be bought at the supermarket. You can also make it at home. To make 1 cup/150g/5.2ozs of cake flour replace 2 tablespoons of plain all purpose flour with cornflour/fine cornstarch and whisk well. I usually mix up a big batch of this and keep it in a container ready for baking.
Step-By-Step Cooking Instructions
Step 1: Make the Dough and Prep
Line 4 baking trays with baking paper. Print out and cut out your templates. Beat the butter and brown sugar in a bowl until pale and creamy (around 3 minutes). Add the golden syrup or molasses and egg and beat until combined. Stir in the flour, ginger, mixed spice and bicarbonate of soda. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Press dough into a ball and flatten into a disc. Cover with plastic wrap and place on the countertop for 30 minutes to rest.
Step 2: Roll, Cut and Bake
Preheat oven to 180°C/350F. Place the dough between 2 sheets of baking paper and roll out until about 4mm/0.16inches thick. Use templates to to cut out shapes. Do not move them off the parchment yet. Place in the fridge for 20 minutes until the cookies are firm. Then move the cookies an inch apart on the parchment. Then using a sharp paring knife, cut out the panels in the pieces so that you get an edge of cookie but the centre is cut out. Don't make the cookie edges too thin, I basically trace the shape with the knife and if I am happy with it, then I cut it out. The centres should lift out easily as the dough is firm-I just stick the tip of the knife and lift it out. Bake each tray of house pieces for 12-14 minutes until dark. While the cookies are still warm from the oven, use a ruler and a knife to trim each edge so that it is straight using the template as a guide. At this stage you can chill the pieces and keep them in the fridge for a week or two.
Step 3: Make the Royal Icing
I like to make royal icing in the Thermomix as I hate sieving icing sugar. Place the icing sugar in a Thermomix or food processor and process until the lumps disappear (TM speed #9, 10 seconds). Then add the egg white and pulse (TM speed #4, 10 seconds). Add a few drops of lemon juice (not too much!) so that it is not stiff but still pipeable. Make sure to keep the lid on the bowl to prevent the icing from drying out as it dries out very easily.
Step 4: Prepare Gelatine Windows and Piping Bags
I make these little parchment royal icing pens using parchment paper taught to me by the lovely Jessica Pedemont. I actually go through a lot of these for each gingerbread house (around 8 or so) and they make piping the royal icing a lot easier. Spoon a teaspoon or so of filling into one small parchment piping bag and have it ready. Cut out the gelatine sheets so that they fit the cookies and adhere them with some royal icing. Press down gently and allow to dry completely gelatine side down.
Step 5: Decorate and Assemble the Sides
Start drawing patterns on the top of the cookies while the gelatine sheets and icing are setting. Allow to set completely (it should take around 30 minutes to completely dry). Take your serving plate and place the four sides on it and using cans or bottle to prop them up, "glue" them together by piping royal icing. Also use royal icing on the inside of the house so that they have a lot more structural integrity. Bunch up the fairy lights and place inside the house and then thread it out one side glueing it in place with royal icing. Allow to set for 30 minutes or until completely hard.
Step 6: Add the Roof and Decorate
You're almost finished and it's time to add the roof on top! Use royal icing to glue the front and back triangular pieces and then use balance it with the icing fringed square roof pieces. Patch up any gaps with royal icing. Allow to set for 1 hour or overnight. Decorate with mini Christmas trees on the side.