Let’s pretend for one moment that you have budgeted your funds to buy great gifts for all your friends, have time to go shopping for your family and that finals aren’t looming around the corner. With all that stress out of the way, take the holiday season in stride and embrace the festivities by throwing a grandiose gingerbread-house-making party.
As much as I’d love to instantly remedy the possibility that you’ve never made a gingerbread house from scratch before, I’ve sadly used up all my insta-abilities on the aforementioned three points above. Therefore, How-To Heidi is here to help walk you through your first of many successful gingerbread house soirees.
1. Gingerbread. While elementary schools around the island have its students create houses out of milk cartons and graham crackers, here at community college we’re going to encourage the concoction of true gingerbread.
Mix butter, sugar, molasses, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and baking soda in a large bowl until smooth. Then slowly blend the flour and water in until you have a rather stiff dough. Throw this in the refrigerator for roughly 30 minutes or until firm. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
2. Building Blocks. My forte is not in architecture, so luckily, building a house made of gingerbread does not have to be nearly as daunting. There are three templates scattered around the newspaper for you to use: the gable (rectangle with a pointed top), the side (small rectangle) and the roof (large rectangle). Cut these out or print your own at http://bit.ly/rAlBlH.
Take the chilled dough and divide into six even pieces. Flatten each division with a rolling pin on a floured surface, then create the elements of your house by placing a template on the flattened dough and cutting away the edges with a knife. Make two of each shape. Place on greased cookie sheets and bake for 15 minutes at 375 degrees or until firm. Cool for 10 minutes.
3. The Royal Key. In truth, the crux of any gingerbread creation lies in the frosting. Without this medium, gumdrops will roll and houses will crumble. Royal frosting, an element that is as simple as it is essential, is what will provide a malleable surface that will dry firm to keep everything in the position that you place it.
Beat egg whites until foamy and gradually add in the sugar and lemon extract until it’s thick. I suggest using an electric mixer.
Pipe the frosting generously on the edges of your gingerbread and assemble the house so it stands.
4. Bedazzle. The best part of making a gingerbread house lies in the candy-based, home-decorating aspect of it. Gather whatever your imagination can work with and get festive. Marshmallows become snowmen, red vines can be roof tiles, candy canes turn into doorways and pretzels pass as windows. Use frosting to stick everything into place or to create icicles from the edges of the roof.
When you’re done, send photos of your finished product to me at HowToHeidi@gmail.com and let me know what candies you used to decorate.
Happy holidays!