DIY
By PATTI RANCK, Indigo Earth Creative
Home Sweet Home W
hat’s more fun, whimsical and screams winter holidays than a Gingerbread House? Uhhh … nothing! It takes a bit of pre-planning, a little time, a bunch of candy, but it is the perfect family craft that all can participate in. So throw on the holiday tunes, heat up the hot chocolate and let’s get started!
The Stuff •
A house template. You can make your own or print one from one of the many free sources online. (Martha Stewart, Sweetopia, Wilton, and Sally's Baking Addiction have great printable templates.) This is an absolutely necessary “blueprint” as all the cookie panels will have to be cut to exact measurements in order for it all to fit together in the end.
•
Gingerbread dough. See recipe in next section. I developed this recipe after much trial and error.
•
Baking parchment paper. Always use baking parchment paper to roll out dough AND on your baking sheet for cooking. This is to avoid sticking and to minimize spreading and burning. Also, do NOT grease the pan or use foil to line it.
•
Rolling pin
•
Extra flour. To dust parchment and rolling pin to prevent sticking while rolling and cutting your shapes.
•
Pizza cutter and sharp paring knife
•
Quality cookie sheet pans. This is worth the investment. A cheap, thin pan tends to allow burning quickly and will often bow during
42 | SAND& PINE MAGAZINE December 2021/January 2022
baking. (Less expensive metal pans do not tolerate the oven heat as well). Your cookie pieces will need to be as flat and even as possible in order to fit together properly. •
Krispy Treats, which can be purchased readymade, or feel free to make your own. These will be used to build a “foundation” for your house.
•
Royal icing. See recipe in next section.
•
Pastry/piping bags and assorted tips and couplers. I recommend a #22 star tip or #10 round tip to construct/glue the house panels together. And a #4 or #5 tip to attach candies. Any other size tips would be for decorative purposes and are chosen based on your design.
•
Optional: Gel food coloring for decorative effects. The important thing to remember about this is that anything you add to the royal icing mixture (however tiny) will alter the consistency. You will need to adjust accordingly by beating in a bit more confectioner’s sugar until it is the thickness you need.
•
A heavy flat board to construct the house on. The decorating will be heavier than you imagine, so be sure it is a strong cake board that will not bend. Even a cutting board will work great.
•
Cake board foil or regular kitchen foil to cover the board. Fold over and around board (as if you are wrapping a gift) and use wide clear tape on the underside to fasten firmly to the board.
•
A large variety of candies, cookies, marshmallows, pretzels, shredded coconut, cotton candy, sprinkles, etc.
