Gingerbread House

I don't celebrate christmas, but I love the spirit within. A month ago to celebrate the holiday spirit, Arfi of Homemades challenged us at Klub Berani Baking (Indonesian Baking Club) to make our own gingerbread house. I was so excited, since my daughter, Arwen had asked me to build her gingerbread house since couple of months ago. I thought that was the best time making her dream comes true.



I used the recipe from Taste Magazine. I turned out perfect. The kids and I really love the cookies. When it's time to assemble the house, Arwen and Leia got so excited. While I was gluing the house, they were putting the sweets and decorated the house using their own creativity.

Nothing compares than seeing happiness in their faces when they pushed joy to the limit.



Gingerbread
Source : Sarah Bowman. NZ Taste magazine. December 2007.

Ingredients:
125g butter
¾ cup golden syrup
1 cup sugar
3 cups flour
2 Tbsp ginger
3 Tbsp mixed spice (dita - you can use cinnamon, clove and nutmeg)
1 tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp milk

Icing
3 egg whites
5 cups icing sugar

Directions :
Melt butter, golden syrup and sugar in a large pot and bring to the boil. It is very important to let the mixture boil rapidly for several minutes and stir it as it boils. This ensures a smooth and elastic dough.

Sift the flour, ginger and mixed spice into a large bowl. Pour melted butter mix into the dry ingredients and mix to combine.

Mix baking soda and milk in a cup and pour into the dough, stirring until it is well combined. Rest dough for 15-20 minutes, covered in plastic wrap.

Roll out handfuls of dough (5mm thick) on lightly floured pieces of baking paper. Use pattern pieces to cut out house shapes (removing excess dough as you go and returning it to the bowl). Leave room between each piece for expansion during cooking. Slide pieces of baking paper with the biscuit pieces onto baking trays. (Bake in batches.) Bake for 10-15 minutes at 170°C. Cool on wire racks.

Cook’s tip :
Use leftover dough to make people and trees for the house, or Christmas tree decorations. With a skewer, put a hole in the top of each decoration biscuit (to thread a ribbon through) before baking and repeat straight after cooking, as the holes close over during baking. Decorate when cool.

Icing :
Whisk egg whites until frothy, then beat in icing sugar until thick (about 5 minutes). Cover with a damp tea towel or
paper towel and plastic wrap to prevent the icing drying out.



Get your gingerbread cut-outs in pdf format here.