Download the template HERE

Gingerbread Recipe

Tools: House template, baking trays, rolling pin, baking paper, icing bags, sharp knife, sweets, large frying pan, board to put house on

Dough Recipe:

• 300ml golden syrup

• 200ml sugar

• 2 eggs

• 250g butter

• 2tps allspice

• 2tps cinnamon

• 1tps ginger

• 2tps bicarbonate soda

• 1 tbs water

• 1kg flour approx. (6 x250ml cups)

Method:

Set oven temperature to 225 degree C 

Gently heat the syrup, sugar and spices together in a large saucepan. Turn off the heat and add the butter, the bicarbonate of soda dissolved in a tablespoon of water. Add the flour gradually and stir with a wooden spoon until you have a stiff dough. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and store in the fridge overnight.

Have your templates ready. Download them HERE

Take a sizeable piece of the dough and roll on to a floured surface. Put the rolled out dough on to a sheet of baking paper before it’s thin. Roll out to a thickness of 3/4mm. Place on a baking tray. You can roll the dough straight onto your baking tray. Cut out the house with a sharp knife using the house template as a guide. Remember to cut out windows, door and the chimney for putting in extra sweets. There’s plenty of dough left to cut out Christmas trees and characters.

Bake for 4-5 minutes in the oven. Leave to cool on the tray for 10 minutes. It’s easier if you have 3 trays.  

Icing:

2 Egg whites

400ml icing sugar

Lemon juice optional

Whisk the egg whites until frothy, then add a cup of icing sugar and whisk on medium, then add the rest of the icing sugar. Whisk on high speed for 4-5 minutes This will give a firm icing. It can be flavoured with lemon juice. If the icing is too stiff loosen it with more juice.

Fill the icing bag. I use disposable piping bags that you snip to create the nozzle. Push the icing in carefully and use a clip at the top to stop it pouring everywhere. If you don’t have any piping bags you can make them from baking paper cones.  

I find it’s easier to ice the pieces before assembling as you hold the gingerbread in one hand and ice with the other. Stick on the sweets with icing. Generally sweets with a crispy sugar coating such as M & M’s  stick well. 

To Assemble the house:

Heat about 150g sugar in a large frying pan. You need enough to cover the inside of the pan. Once the sugar has melted and is a light golden brown, dip one side of the house in the caramel starting with the gable ends. Be very careful as the caramel is extremely hot. See images.  

I’ve put the house on a cake board covered in white fondant icing which I rolled out using cling-film to keep it together. The ribbon is pinned on with lace pins.