Make A Gingerbread
House
For the base of your gingerbread house to sit on, cover a
piece of plywood, cutting board or a flat serving platter
with tin foil.
Place a good amount of your mortar/icing cement into a pastry
bag. If you don't have a pastry bag, take a large plastic
freezer bag (the thicker the plastic the better) and puncture
a hole into it in one corner of the bag. This actually works
just as good the only set back is you do not have any fancy
end attachments. Let your icing sit for about 10 to 15 minutes
so it gets even thicker.
Remember your icing will be applied to the inside of your
house so it is not a visual eyesore. Only apply icing on the
outside joints when applying the roof and of coarse for decoration
purposes. Have four soup cans on hand because they work great
to prop up against the wall to keep them straight as they
dry.
First: Take your front wall of your house (10X5 wall) and
center it where you want it. Stand it upright on the tinfoil
base and apply a generous amount mortar/icing from your pastry
bag along the entire length of the base on the inside of the
wall. Hold the wall firmly in place for at least 10 to 20
seconds.
Second: Then take a short wall of your house (6X5 end wall)
and butt it up against the front wall and apply mortar/icing
from your pastry bag along the inside corner where the two
walls are joined together then along the whole length of the
base on the inside of the house. Hold the wall in place for
10 to 20 seconds.
Third: Then take your back wall of your house (10X5 wall)
and butt it up against the 6X5 end wall and apply mortar/icing
from your pastry bag along the inside corner where the two
walls are joined together then along the whole length of the
base on the inside of the house. Hold the wall in place for
10 to 20 seconds.
Fourth: Then take your last wall (6X5 end wall) and butt
it up against the back and front walls of your house and apply
mortar/icing from your pastry bag along the inside corner
where it is joined to the back wall, then along the inside
corner where it is joined to the front wall and finally along
the whole length of the base on the inside of the house. Hold
the wall in place for 10 to 20 seconds.
Fifth: You should now have what looks like a box with an
open top. Let the walls start to dry for about 5 to 10 minutes
then place mortar/icing along the edge of the entire rectangle
on the side if the roof pieces (10x41/2) that will be placed
on top of the house. Press and hold into place for 10 to 20
second. Repeat this step with the other roof piece as well,
push the peaks together so they are nice and tight. Keep an
eye on the roof pieces as they may start to slide down in
this case hold them for a little longer or wedge some light
hard covered books against them. (DO NOT place anything on
top of your house) You could also add some extra mortar/icing
on the outside but keep a damp cloth ready to wipe up any
drips and to keep it looking neat.
Sixth: Let your gingerbread house dry for about one to two
hours before decorating.
Seventh: Now you are ready for the fun part. Decorating your
house! Let your imagination soar you can use any type of candies
or cookies you want. Some suggestions are candy canes, candy
sticks, licorice, peppermints, any colorful hard candies,
raisins, jube jubes, chocolate chips, sprinkles, nuts, pretzels,
smarties, m&m's, colored sugars, tootsie rolls, popeye
candy sticks and mini cookies. The possibilities are endless.
To apply your decorations to your gingerbread house simply
apply a small amount mortar/icing. Once again this is where
your pastry bag comes in handy because you can put a small
dot or dab and it is not messy.
Tips
Candy sticks make wonderful gingerbread house trim. If you
can not find them just cut the end hook off candy canes.
Green sugar jube jubes or jellies make great shrubs and bushes.
Popeye candy sticks (you might remember them as popeye cigarettes)
make a great picket fence. So do tootsie rolls.
Always keep a damp cloth ready to clean up any spills.
To make an icicle along the roof line. Use your pastry bag
and dab a bit of icing on the edge and drag down so it hangs
off the edge of the house.
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