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Gingerbread homestead
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Prep Time:
360 minutes
Cook Time:
70 minutes
Total Time:
430 minutes
Gather family, roll up sleeves, and create a showstopping holiday centerpiece together.
Ingredients:
  • 300g butter, chopped
  • 180.00 gm dark brown sugar
  • 335.00 gm golden syrup
  • 5.00 gm bicarbonate of soda
  • 32.50 gm ground ginger
  • 2 tsp allspice
  • 4.00 gm baking powder
  • 1750.00 ml plain flour
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 4 egg whites
  • 900.00 gm pure icing sugar, sifted
  • 10.60 gm lemon juice
  • 30 fruit flavoured or musk sticks
  • 16 licorice allsorts
  • 2/3 x 80g packet ice-cream wafers
  • 12 chocolate wafer sticks
  • 1 vanilla cream biscuit, halved, icing removed, discarded
  • 1 green jelly fruit ring
  • 5 Jols lollies (sugar-free pastilles)
  • 18 red jubes
  • 18 green jubes
  • 2 1/2 x 160g packets strawberry flavoured sour straps (you’ll need 48)
  • 5cm piece honeycomb chocolate bar
  • 1 large white marshmallow
  • 18 chocolate mini drops
  • 2 rainbow sour straps
  • 2cm piece licorice strap, cut into 8 thin strips
  • 2 chocolate flake bars
  • 5 chocolate freckles
  • 3 mint leaves, halved horizontally
  • 1 red jelly snake
Instructions:
  • Prepare the Gingerbread: Combine butter, sugar, and golden syrup in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir for 5 minutes until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and stir in the bicarbonate of soda. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and let it cool for 30 minutes.
  • Sift ginger, allspice, baking powder, and flour into a bowl. Mix half the flour into the butter mixture until well combined. Add the egg and stir. Gradually mix in the remaining flour until a sticky dough forms. Divide the dough into 4 portions, shape them into discs, and wrap them in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
  • 1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced) and line 2 baking trays with baking paper. 2. Roll out one portion of dough between two sheets of baking paper to a thickness of 4mm. 3. Use a 'front and back' template to cut out two rectangles from the dough, re-rolling any scraps. 4. Place the rectangles on the prepared trays and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until they are golden and just firm to the touch. 5. Let the baked rectangles stand on the trays for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool.
  • Shape the remaining dough portion using the "side" template to make 2 more portions.
  • Use the last portion of dough to repeat step 3, making sure to use the 'roof' template for two pieces.
  • Roll out the dough between 2 sheets of baking paper until 4mm thick. Use the 'roof side' template to cut out 2 triangles. Place them on the prepared tray and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until golden and firm to the touch. Allow them to stand on the tray for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
  • Reuse the excess dough by rolling it out again and cutting out another shape using the template for the awning.
  • Create Royal icing: Whisk egg whites in a bowl until frothy. Slowly incorporate icing sugar, whisk until smooth. Mix in lemon juice and cover with a damp paper towel to keep it fresh.
  • Prepare the piping bag with a 5mm fluted nozzle and fill it with icing. Pipe icing onto the edge of one ‘side’ piece, then carefully attach it to one ‘front and back’ piece, positioning it at the center of the MDF board. Hold in place until the icing begins to set. Repeat the process with the remaining ‘front and back’ piece and the remaining ‘side’ piece to create the enclosed walls of the house. Next, pipe icing onto the top edge of one ‘roof side’ triangle and carefully attach one ‘roof’ piece to it, holding in place until the icing begins to set. Repeat this with the other ‘roof side’ triangle and attach it to the opposite end. Pipe icing on the remaining top edges of the triangles and attach the remaining ‘roof’ piece, holding it in place until the icing begins to set, to form the roof. Pipe icing along the top of the roof and set aside for 1 hour to allow the icing to set. In the meantime, pipe four lines lengthwise across the ‘awning’ and arrange fruit sticks on it, trimming to fit. Set aside for 1 more hour or until the icing has set.
  • Create a grid of allsorts on a surface the size of the MDF board. Add a small dollop of icing on top of each allsort. Place the MDF board on top. Set aside 1 ice-cream wafer. With a bit of icing, position the rest of the wafers around the house to make a veranda, trimming them to fit.
  • Make a light score on a square cardboard 4cm from 1 edge and fold it neatly. Pipe icing around the top of the house and place the cardboard on top, ensuring the overhang is at the front. Let it sit for 20 minutes. Pipe icing along the edge of the cardboard and carefully attach the roof, holding it in place until the icing starts to set. Attach 2 chocolate wafer sticks on each corner of the house with icing, then pipe a decorative pattern between the sticks. Let it set for 30 minutes. Arrange biscuits on the front to create a door. Attach Jols to a fruit ring to make a wreath, then attach the wreath to the door, holding until it sets. Use icing to attach jubes to the house to make windows following the picture guide, and pipe around them to define the windows.
  • Trim 1cm from 1 short end of each sour strap. Place 1 strap on a flat surface and pipe icing along 1 long edge. Top with another strap, overlapping by half. Repeat with 10 straps, then repeat 3 more times to create roof shingles. Set aside for 10 minutes. Attach shingles to create the roof and then attach a trimmed honeycomb bar at an angle with icing to make a chimney. Top chimney with icing and a marshmallow for smoke. Save 1 red and 3 purple mini drops. Cut yellow strips from rainbow sour straps and into thin lengths. Using icing, attach yellow strips and mini drops to the roof as lights. Attach licorice and red mini drop to front of roof for a spider using icing.
  • Attach 4 chocolate wafer sticks to the front of the veranda using icing, ensuring they are held in place until the icing begins to set. Pipe a thick strip of icing along the back edge of the awning, covering the overhanging cardboard and adding a little icing on top of each stick. Carefully position the awning in place, holding it until the icing starts to set (fill any gaps with icing). Allow to set for 2 hours before serving.
  • Cut each flake into three 6cm pieces. Arrange the flakes in front of the house to create steps. Form a path by placing the freckles in front of the steps. Place the mint leaves in front of the house and top them with the reserved purple mini drop using a small amount of icing to create flowers. Position the snake on the verandah. Use a 5.5cm x 7.5cm kangaroo cutter to cut a kangaroo shape from the reserved ice-cream wafer. Secure it in front of the house with a little icing.

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