Gingerbread Houses

[Miss.September]

I thought I'd try to make a gingerbread house this year. I've seen a recipe on the taste site which looks easy enough, but has anyone got any tips for a fool-proof/ collapse-proof house?

Also how long in advance can I make it? I'll be taking it to my mum's on Christmas Day.

[Miss.September]

[Charlotte91]

I'm interested too.
Can you PM me the link to the recipe, please?

[Jellyfish]

I'm no expert but I did make a house last year although the pieces of gingerbread were provided (it is an event run through my old high school blah blah). The main thing when constructing I found was to be liberal with the icing and make sure to hold it up in place until it sets, you can use toothpicks etc to help but I just found that a bit fiddly and not really worth the hassle. Just slather on heaaaaaaaps at every join and it should hold well, mine didn't collapse! Also a good idea to help it sit stable is to glue it with icing (again LOTS of icing) to a board or something so that the walls are really well supported. You can see pictures of the one I made on my Facebook (think it is in the Wall Photos album), I think it looks pretty neat

Mmm that house was so nice to eat too. I think I kept it about a week before I couldn't hold out any longer and demolished it within a couple of days. Not sure how long they keep though.

[Ryatha]

I've spent the last week gathering ingredients, patterns and recipes to make a house. I've found there is a quick recipe or a good recipe. The good one is really long but won't collapse evidently.

I found a couple of websites that are purely on ginger bread houses and some of them are amazing. I just googled gingerbread house recipe.

Moat of them say it lasts about a week. So I'm making a couple of trials this week and next week and I'll make the good one the week before christmas.

Let us know how you go!


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[Jennifer13]

We're a bit lazy - I bought a kit from Thomas Dux last year and this, it comes with the gingerbread and the icing mixture. We just have to provide our own decorations. The company that makes them are local and do only gingerbread and baked goods, so I don't think I'm getting overly processed, imported sugar-products!

We used LOTS of the icing as well, to hold it together. And icing in more places than they suggested, to hold it steady on the board.

[wysiwyg]

Pretty sure I have seen the kits in both Aldi and IKEA and know people who have used very successfully (never asked about how it tasted though). Jennifer13 - you think Thomas Dux in MEL would have them? or are they likely to be only local to Sydney?

[Mumma T]

I do them and they last about 3 weeks before they are getting inedible. Make sure the gingerbread is fully cooled before you start constructing and use like PP has said use plenty of icing I take one to each Xmas lunch/dinner we have and they are always a hit. My Oma (Grandma) used to make them every year and we aloved them even as adults.

[Miss.September]

Thanks everyone for your feedback. Now that I know it'll keep, I'll make it early Christmas week and then I can go slowly decorating it. I'll try to remember to post a pic when it's finished.

[Jennifer13]

Pretty sure I have seen the kits in both Aldi and IKEA and know people who have used very successfully (never asked about how it tasted though). Jennifer13 - you think Thomas Dux in MEL would have them? or are they likely to be only local to Sydney?

The supplier is Sydney-based, but they'd probably have another supplier in Melbourne. Or they might even send some down? I'll look up the name for you when I get home.

ETA: They're called The Gingerbread Folk and they do list Thomas Dux in Melbourne as stockists. It's in a brown box.

[Ryatha]

Just about to start making my gingerbread dough, it is a bit of day proceedure so I'll keep you all updated

[Ryatha]

Oh wow the dough smells good. The ingredients only just fit into my food processor but it still worked ok. Now I have a 4 hr wait until the dough has rested and then to roll, shape and bake :-D


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[Miss.September]

Ryatha you're making me want to get cracking with mine!!!

[Ryatha]

Get cracking then! It's so much fun.

Well I rolled and cut the walls and roof, put them in the fridge for an hour and then baked the. Boy do they smell good. There is a real trick to getting it right so it cooks well - I'm glad this is a trial run lol.

Heaps of left over dough so DD2 and I made star cookies as I wanted to try the mixture. Let's just say it's an effort not to eat them all! Tomorrow night we construct the house.


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[Ryatha]

Ok, ginger bread house has been constructed and now we'll decorate it tonight for DD1's class party tomorrow. Putting a pic up on fb now. If we aren't friends just search for my username.


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[Miss.September]

LOL, I need mine for Christmas Day, so have to wait a bit before I can get going. Your house sounds great!

[Mak]

Which recipe do you recommend as the good one? I made the taste one and has some *ahem* structural issues last year. One the upside DD1 loved singing 'there's no house anymore' at the top of her lungs for weeks!!!

[Ryatha]

I used the taste recipe that from start to finish baking task about 4-5 hours. The time in the fridge and freezer help the ginger bread remain hard and in shape I think.


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