Sweet Shop Gingerbread Cottage

Front view of cottage

Time is marching on into the festive season and I have always wanted to bake my own gingerbread house. I thought this would be an apt time to try my hand at baking my own and have fun in the kitchen sticking on all those wonderful sweets. No I didn’t eat one, now how very restrained of me don’t you think? *giggle*. This would be a fun packed project to make with children letting them design their own theme of where to place their sweets. The only draw back is the waiting time in-between for the icing to set on the walls and roof.

Back & side view of cottage

Sweet Shop Gingerbread Cottage

Ingredients
For The Gingerbread
150g (6 oz) butter
150g (6 oz) soft brown sugar
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1½ tbsp lemon juice
100g (4 oz) black treacle
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
300g (12 oz) plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp ground ginger – (yes correct quantity)
2 tsp mixed spice
For The Royal Icing
6 large egg whites
1.8kg (4lb) icing sugar
To Decorate
2 medium bags of chocolate buttons - for roof
Silver balls
Few sprinkles
Chocolate fingers - for door & logs
Iced gem biscuits
Sugar coated chocolate drops – smarties
Jellies
Pink marshmallows
2 candy canes
Edible glitter
Coloured fondant icing to make snowman & gingerbread man (optional)
You will also need a 10 in cake board – larger if you can find one
A little festive ribbon for around the outside base of the board

Method

First cut out the shapes of the house onto card or thin plastic. Make 2 sidewalls 11x 20cm (4½ x 8in); 2 end walls 11x13cm (4½ x 5 in) plus a triangular gable, 8cm (3 in) on one each side; and 2 rectangles for the roof 11 x 23cm (4½ x 9 in).

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the lemon zest and juice and the treacle. Sieve the flour, baking powder, ginger and mixed spice and fold into the creamed mixture. Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently before wrapping in cling film and placing into the fridge for at least 1 hour to chill, (the dough will be to soft to roll until it has had sufficient chilling time).

Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas mark 5. Line 2 large baking trays with non-stick baking paper.

Take the dough out of the fridge and unwrap onto a floured surface. Cut into 6 portions making 2 portions larger for the roof sections. Roll out each piece and cut around the templates. Carefully lift the pieces onto lined baking trays and any trimmings can be cut into gingerbread people. Bake the gingerbread for about 10 minutes or until a nice golden colour.

Leave the gingerbread to cool for a little while on the baking trays (if you lift them off straight away they may break up and they need a little time to harden first).
Place onto a wire rack to completely cool and harden.

Lightly whisk 2 egg whites, then add one-third of the icing sugar a little at a time, beating well until the icing is smooth and stands in firm peeks. Spread or pipe using a plain tip, a line of icing on the cake board and press in one of the sidewalls so that it sticks firmly and stands up. You may have to pipe a little extra icing along either side of each edge. Spread or pipe a line of icing at right angles to the first wall and press into position. Repeat the process with the other 2 walls until they are in perfect position. You will need to leave the walls at least two hours to harden before placing the roof on. Cover the icing with a damp tea towel to keep it soft.

Carefully spread or pipe a think layer on top of the walls and fix the roof into position – it should overlap slightly to make the eaves. Pipe or spread a little icing along the top of the roof to hold the 2 pieces firmly together. Leave the house to dry overnight.

To decorate the cottage, whisk the remaining egg whites and add the icing sugar as above to make a thick icing. Use this icing to stick on the roof tiles (chocolate buttons) the iced biscuits for the roof and use all the other sweets and silver balls as in the picture. Ice a few icicles from the bottom of the roof and place a few silver balls in. Use the chocolate fingers for the doors and logs.

If making fondant figures, shape into a snowman and a gingerbread man, cover the remaining base of the board in icing and stick the figures down. You could use a little fondant icing to keep the candy canes in place. . Dust the house over with edible glitter and dot a few sprinkles around the base. Fix the festive ribbon around the outside base of the cake board.

I covered my house in florist clear wrap to keep it dust free and edible to eat.

Store away from any damp areas.