Since few years, every Christmas, I have been making the spiced gingerbread house decorated with icing, with various candies or with both. This new tradition was introduced by my sister and then over time we have continued to do it every year in different shapes and sizes. The recipe is the same as the gingerbread cookies that is already in the blog (here) with the only difference in the shape. Initially, as a guide, I used the cardboard molds prepared by my sister the first time she attempted the house. I then made it even easier and opted for the ready made molds purchased from Tiger. In addition to the molds, I also recommend buying the "glue" made especially for gingerbread houses, very useful for holding the pieces together. I remember the very first attempt at the house that my sister made, a beautiful house all decorated and set up the evening before the Christmas Eve, in the morning we come down for breakfast to find the house collapsed, broken pieces and decorations scattered everywhere. This glue is really the revelation and the solution, highly recommended! As for the decoration, you have carte blanche, have fun creating! Usually I decorate with candies, chocolates, colored sprinkles and so on, but this year I preferred to make a chic decoration keeping everything white and without too many doodles.
Tips
The dough must be as cold as possible, work a little dough at a time, leaving the rest in the refrigerator
I have found that not removing cut windows and doors before baking is a great way to prevent the edges from swelling too much resulting in weird shapes. Leave them in place and go over the cut with a sharp knife when the biscuit has just come out of the oven, once it is completely cool, remove the extra pieces.
Decorating the pieces before assembling the house is the best thing to do, assembling the house and then decorating to me seems quite impossible, if you manage and it turns out beautiful, congratulations, I will hire you to make mine the next years. Seriously, decorate it when flat and let the glaze set completely before assembling.
Royal icing takes time to set, leave the cookies in a dry place and gently touch a corner of icing to see if it is dry.
You now have all the tools to make your own gingerbread house.
Happy baking and Merry Christmas!
Recipe
Preparation time 30 minutes + rest
Baking time 12 minutes
Servings 1 house
Ingredients
DOUGH
175 gr of plain flour
87 gr of brown sugar
62 gr of cold butter
40 gr of honey
1/2 egg
1/2 tbsp of baking powder
1/2 tbsp of spice mix*
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 pinch of salt
ROYAL ICING
50 gr of powdered sugar
75 gr meringue powder**
Water q.s.
ASSEMBLING
Edible glue for gingerbread house q.s.
* I find the spice mix ready-made in the local herbalist's shop, made especially for gingerbread cookies. Inside there are, already ground, cloves, ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon (I always add a little ground cinnamon for my personal taste)
** meringue powder is available on the market ready-made, if you do not find it and you cannot buy it on the internet, do as I do and finely ground the packaged meringues (the drier they are the better), the powder must be very fine to avoid formation of lumps in the icing
Method
FOR THE DOUGH
1. In a stand mixer, briefly mix sugar and butter
2. Mix the egg with honey and add it to the mixer while continuing to mix
3. Add flour and baking powder, spice mix, cinnamon and a pinch of salt
4. Leave to knead until it reaches a smooth and compact consistency. Then knead briefly by hand and form a flat dough. Cover with cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes / 1 hour
5. Use a little dough at a time and leave the rest in the refrigerator (covered with cling film) so that it is always cold. Roll out the dough maintaining a height of about 1/2 cm
6. Cut the pieces of the house with the molds and place them on a baking tray covered with parchment paper. Leave doors and windows cut in place while baking. Bake in fan assisted oven at 170 ° for 12 minutes, checking that the biscuits are golden on the surface
FOR THE ROYAL ICING
1. Sift the meringue powder with the sugar
2. Add a little water at a time and mix. The icing must have a compact consistency, without lumps and must not drip from the spoon
3. Fill a pastry bag with a fine round tip and decorate the house as desired.
ASSEMBLING
1. Assemble the pieces with the help of the glue and let rest to completely set
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