Get the kids to help decorate this show-stopping centerpiece
and make it a holiday tradition the whole family will enjoy
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| Gingerbread House |
Gingerbread House ingredients: 1 cup honey. 1/2 cup sugar.
1/4 cup water. 3 cups all-purpose flour. 2 tablespoons baking powder. 1/2
teaspoon ground cinnamon. 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves. 1 egg yolk. gingerbread
house template available online
Ingredients for royal icing: 2 egg whites. 3 and 1/2 cups
confectioner's sugar
Ingredients for assembly and decoration: Illustration board.
Assorted candies (we used chocolate candies, marshmallows, and chocolate covered
pretzels). Food coloring of choice (we used green and red). Desiccated coconut
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| Gingerbread House |
Gingerbread House recipe: 1- In a saucepan over low heat,
combine honey, sugar and water. Cook until sugar has fully dissolved. Set aside
to cool. 2- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment,
combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, and egg yolk. Slowly add honey
mixture until well combined. Mix until dough comes together. Divide into two
portions, flatten into discs, and wrap in plastic film. Refrigerate for at
least 2 hours or until cold. 3- Preheat oven to 325F. 4- On a silicone mat or
between two sheets of parchment paper, roll out drought until 1/2-inch thick.
Use a sharp knife and gingerbread house templates to cut out desired shapes for
the walls, Windows, and door. Discard scrapes. Place shapes and silicone mat on
a cookie sheet. Chill for 5 minutes. 5- Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12
minutes or until desired color in achieved. Let cool on a wire rack. The shapes
should be hard and stiff. 6- Make the royal icing: In the bowl of an electric
mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat egg whites. Gradually add
powdered sugar until mixture becomes a smooth thick paste that resembles glue.
Add more powdered sugar if needed. 7- Assemble the gingerbread house: Place the
illustration board on a flat surface. This will be the base for your
gingerbread house. Place the royal icing in a piping bag. Pipe and thin line of
icing on the surface of the board to secure the first wall of the house. Pipe
more royal icing on one edge of the first wall and attach another wall beside
it. Hold for a couple of minutes to secure. Repeat with all walls. Once the
walls are secure, pipe royal icing on the top edges of the walls to secure the
roof. Once secure, pipe icing in digital line to decorate the roof. 8- Decorate
the gingerbread house: Divide leftover royal icing into small portions and add
a few drops of food coloring mix well until desired hue is achieved. Pipe
details on the windows, doors, and walls. With royal icing as glue. Use
different sweets to add details to the house. Pretzels can be used to make a
fence and marshmallows can be made into a row of shrubs. To make snow, spread
icing on the board and sprinkle desiccated coconut on top
Tip: For the royal icing recipe, you may use 3 tablespoons
meringue powder (Available at specialty baking stores) and 6 tablespoons water
instead of the egg whites
