- Yield: 1
Gingerbread House
The sight of a real gingerbread house awakens all the wonderful family Yuletide emotions. You can create a small traditional house, go all out on a sprawling mansion, or even re-create your own house to amuse the family. Commercial molds and cookie cutters for gingerbread houses are available in gourmet or specialty shops. Or, you can create your own design using cardboard templates for the roof and walls. The amount of gingerbread and icing you will need depends on the size and shape of your house. The following recipe for gingerbread should make enough dough for a small house. A larger house will require additional gingerbread. Since the white icing is both “glue” and decoration, you will probably need a minimum of 2 or 3 batches. Have extra ingredients on hand and make icing as needed.
Ingredients
- Gingerbread
- All Purpose Flour - 8 cups
- Cinnamon - 2 teaspoons
- Cloves - 1 teaspoon ground
- Nutmeg - 1/2 teaspoon ground
- Ginger - 1 teaspoon
- Salt - 1/2 teaspoon
- Unsalted Butter - 3/4 cup
- Corn Syrup - 1-3/4 cups, dark
- Brown Sugar - 1 cup
- White Icing
- Egg Whites - 2
- Confectioner’s Sugar - 2-1/2 cups
Instructions
To make the gingerbread: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Sift the flour and spices together. In a small saucepan, heat the butter, corn syrup, and sugar. When the sugar has dissolved, transfer to a large bowl. Add the dry ingredients. Lightly knead, then roll on a floured work surface to approximately 1/4 inch thick. Bake on a buttered and floured cookie sheet for 20 to 30 minutes, until firm. Let cool before cutting into desired shapes.
To make the icing: Beat the egg whites until foamy. Gradually add the confectioner’s sugar. Continue to beat for 5 to 7 minutes, until smooth and thick.
To assemble: Cut out the gingerbread to make walls, the roof, and any other pieces, such as doors, to follow your design. Put white icing on the edges of two adjoining walls and hold together (or brace together) until they are bonded firmly enough to stand. Continue, building the walls, applying the roof panels, and any other parts needed to follow your design. When the house is standing firmly, begin decorating, applying candy pieces, icing, and more gingerbread pieces as desired.
