Gingerbread House
Ingredients List
Equipment and decorating supplies:
- Print template
- stiff paper or cardboard to trace and cut out 2 sets of pattern pieces
- 2 to 5 cookie sheets
- parchment paper for lining pans
- rolling pin
- sharp knife or pizza cutter
- pastry brush
- pastry bag or zipper-style freezer bags
- Domino® Confectioners Sugar for dusting
- double batch of Royal Icing
- single batch of Easy Fondant. (Make a day in advance, as it will need to rest overnight before using.)
- single batch of Simple Glaze
- seasonal candies for decorating
A list of ingredients you will need:
- 1 1/2 cups - Domino® Light or Dark Brown Sugar, firmly packed
- 1 cup - butter or margarine, softened
- 4 - eggs
- 1 cup - molasses
- 6 1/2 cups - all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon - ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon - baking soda
- 2 teaspoons - cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon - allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon - ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon - ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon - salt
Instructions
To prepare dough:
Cream sugar and butter. Add eggs and molasses; mix. In separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. Gradually add to sugar mixture; blend well. Wrap and refrigerate dough 1 to 2 hours.
To make the Gingerbread House pieces:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Place sheet of parchment paper or wax paper on large flat surface. Dust paper lightly with flour. Divide dough evenly to make rolling easier. Using a rolling pin, roll dough out evenly to 1/4 inch thick. If dough sticks, dust lightly with flour.
Place pattern pieces on dough, and cut around edges using a small, sharp knife or pizza cutter, wiping blade after each cut.
Bake at 350°F until the edges are just beginning to darken and cookie looks dry. Baking time will vary. Large pieces will take 10 to 14 minutes and small pieces 6 to 8 minutes. While pieces are still slightly warm, lay pattern pieces on top and use a large, sharp knife or pizza cutter to trim any parts that have spread beyond the pattern during baking. Once you have trimmed your finished cookie pieces, you can tape your paper pieces together to see how the finished house will look. This is also a great tool to use for planning your decorations.
Allow cookie pieces to cool on cookie sheet about 10 to 15 minutes before removing to cooling racks to cool completely. Prepare Royal Icing and Simple Glaze.
Decorating the Gingerbread House:
Cut new Gingerbread House template. Place parchment paper or wax paper on large flat surface, and dust with confectioners' sugar. Take a piece of fondant icing and form into a disc. Use rolling pin to roll the fondant evenly to 1/8 inch thick. If the fondant starts to stick, dust with additional confectioners' sugar. Using your template, cut fondant pieces large enough to cover your cookie-house pieces. Using your pastry brush, spread a thin amount of glaze over the face of gingerbread cookie, then place your fondant piece on top of matching cookie piece. Repeat for all pieces of Gingerbread House. Allow to dry for 3 hours or overnight.
Fill pastry bag or zipper-style freezer bag with royal icing. Snip 1/4 inch off corner of freezer bag. Pipe a thick line of icing along the side and bottom of one of the sides of the house, and along the bottom of the front cookie piece. Press the iced side piece against the edge of either the front or back cookie piece, and position the two pieces onto the cookie base. You might want to seek the help of a friend or family member to help you hold it in place for a few minutes, until icing is partially set. Repeat this step again to complete other sides of house. Pipe icing along seams, inside and outside of house, to fill any open spaces. Allow icing to set for at least 10 to 15 minutes. Once icing has dried enough so that base structure is solid, you can work on roof.
Pipe icing all along top edges of structure. Place roof pieces so that long ends of rectangle are running along top of house. Meet the two pieces at top, and pipe line of Royal Icing to connect two pieces and place them on top of house. Hold roof pieces in place with light pressure for few minutes until they are set. Let house stand for at least an hour or two, or overnight if possible, before final decorating.
When house is set and dry, it's time to decorate! Use Royal Icing in pastry bag as "glue" to attach seasonal candies—small candy canes, colorful gum drops, ribbon candy—and let your imagination go wild!
Quick Tip
Place similar shapes together on cookie sheets to ensure even baking. Different shapes will bake at different times. If reusing pans, be sure to cool and replace parchment paper before next batch.