Gingerbread House

I have been wanting to make a Gingerbread House for AGES but have just never gotten around to it.  So, you can imagine my excitement when last month I WON a Gingerbread House mould!  I just loved making this Gingerbread House and will be making a few more before Christmas.  I searched around for recipes and decorating ideas, and loved one I saw on www.taste.com.au.  It is a chocolate gingerbread, so it makes for a really nice contrast with the white icing.  I decided to go for a minimal approach with decorating and just stick with icing and no lollies - but each to their own!  I found the mould made this super easy to make and took away all the human error involved with measuring and cutting out gingerbread pieces.  I also found it so easy to assemble because the parts are quite thick, meaning they stood up easily and stayed in place.  If you don't have a mould, just use the instructions on the original recipe here. I just loved the result - these make a fantastic gift idea, or an impressive centrepiece on your Christmas table.

Ingredients
250g butter, softened
1 cup (200g, firmly packed) brown sugar
1 cup (250ml) golden syrup
2 eggs, separated
4 1/2 cups (675 g) plain flour
1/2 cup (50g) cocoa powder, sifted
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Icing
500g pure icing sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon cream of tartar 

3 egg whites

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C. Use an electric mixer to beat butter, sugar and golden syrup until creamy. Add egg yolks and combine. Stir in flour, cocoa powder, ginger, cinnamon and cloves. Bring dough together. Knead until smooth. Press into mould, then bake for 25-35 minutes.

Icing: Place sugar and cream of tartar in a medium bowl.  Gradually add egg whites, whisking constantly with an electric mixer until the mixture forms a thick white paste.  The whisk should be able to stand upright in the mixture.  Add more icing sugar if necessary.

Spoon icing into piping bag, twist top and begin building the house.

Pipe the icing along the base of one side panel and position on a board. Prop up with a tea cup.

Pipe the icing along the base and one side of front panel. Position against side panel. Prop up with a tea cup.

Pipe the icing along one side and the base of the other side panel. Position against the front and prop up with a tea cup.

Pipe the icing along the base and both sides of the back panel. Position against side panels.

Remove tea cusp. Ice door panel and place in open position on front panel.

Pipe icing along top egdes of roof panels and place in position, aligning flush at front of house.  Decorate as desired.