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What’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

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.

The Doing

1. The very first thing is to plan your design and prep your template/pattern. I like to cut mine out of poster board.

The thicker and more sturdy it is, the better.

2. Make Gingerbread House (see recipe).

3. As soon as it comes out of the oven, you will probably need to recut your pieces. It will still spread a little, and in order for your house to fit together the dimensions are going to have to be as spot-on as humanly possible.

*Caution! This one is tricky. Avoid burning yourself. While the cookie pieces are still hot on the pan, lay each template over, gently hold in place with a pot holder or something to protect your fingers from burning, use pizza cutter to trim as needed. Then place baking sheet on wire rack to let cool. When cookie pieces seem firm enough, slide the entire parchment (with cookie panels) off the sheet pan and directly onto the rack to cool completely.

It is strongly advised that you let cookies completely cool and “set” for 24 hours before decorating and assembling.

4. Make royal icing recipe aka The Glue (see recipe).

5. Here’s where the Krispy Treats work their magic. Press out treats on a sheet of parchment to prevent sticking.

Then cut out a square or rectangle that is 1/4-inch smaller (on all sides) than the finished base measurements of your house. This will become your house foundation and will guarantee a strong structure. Purists will say this is cheating. I say, why make life more difficult and stressful? The bottom of each panel will be “glued” to this. But first leave your Krispy Treat foundation to harden. Then, attach the Krispy Treat foundation to your board with icing.

6. To assemble, begin by piping icing across the base and one edge of the front panel and the base of the coordinating side panel. Press against the foundation while simultaneously pressing side edges together firmly, but gently. I know, I know, a total oxymoron but you know what I mean, we just don’t want any broken panels. Hold together for a bit until they seem firmly in place. You can use cans from the pantry as a weight to hold the sides up until dry. Wait at least 30 minutes before proceeding to the next step.

7. Repeat by icing back and opposite side panel. Let harden for about 2 hours.

8. Attach roof pieces in the same manner. Yay! The house is together! But it will be best to let it harden completely overnight before all the edible decorative elements are

“glued” on.

9. Now, get the fam together for a big Gingerbread House decorating fest! Afterwards, you will have a fun holiday centerpiece that everyone can be proud of. Happy

Holidays!

Gingerbread House Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup shortening 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup dark brown sugar 2/3 cup unsulphured molasses 4 cups flour 1 tablespoon ground ginger 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon cloves 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

Combine all your dry ingredients and set aside. Cream together the shortening and sugars. Add molasses, beat well. Add dry ingredients about 1/4 amount at a time blending well after each addition.

Knead with your hands if needed for the dough to come together. (Note: if it seems a little too crumbly or dry, sprinkle a bit of water and knead again until it comes together).

Roll out no more than 1/3 of the dough at a time on floured parchment paper. Don’t forget to flour your rolling pin too. Roll to approximately 3/8-inch thickness. Slide parchment and rolled dough onto your baking sheet and freeze for at least 10 minutes. Remove from freezer and arrange template/pattern pieces on the chilled, rolled dough. Using your pizza cutter (for the longer straight lines) and the paring knife for corners and details, cut out your shapes. Then back into the freezer again for at least 20 minutes. This will help in preventing some of the dough spread.

Bake in a preheated 375 F oven for 12–15 minutes depending on how thick your dough is rolled out. It should appear lightly browned around the edges.

Royal Icing Recipe

Ingredients

About 2 pounds confectioners’/powdered sugar 4 egg whites (preferably pasteurized egg whites) 1 tablespoon Cream of Tartar

Directions

Using hand whisk or mixer, beat all together on low until well combined and lumps are gone. Do not over-beat as this will incorporate too much air into the glue. You want it dense, not fluffy. Aim for the consistency of thick toothpaste. Note: Royal icing tends to dry out very quickly. I recommend storing in container with a tight lid and keep covered at all times. After you have put some of the icing in the pastry bag, keep a damp towel over the tip to prevent it from hardening.