Gingerbread House

It is a miserable day here, wet and windy, with not a hope of venturing out. I gather there is snow in other parts of the country. A day to stay in and keep warm and do a bit of baking maybe? 
This is a recipe for gingerbread given to me by another cookery teacher I worked with, thank you Aoife, it is a great basic recipe.

The template I used is Marry Berry Gingerbread House template and printed it out 2 pages to a sheet, ie half size.

I just used instant royal icing as glue and for decorating, but you could use melted chocolate, it sets faster than the icing and add sweets for decoration.

The important thing is to have fun and enjoy the process, as you can see from the photos mine isn't perfect, but it was tasty!









100g butter
300g plain flour
1 tsp bread soda
2 tsp ground ginger 
150g brown sugar
3 level dsp golden syrup 
1 egg
1 bag instant royal icing  or lots of white chocolate
1 X 9 inch straw board

Set the oven to 180 ̊C / GM 4
Grease 2 large baking trays with butter.
Cut the butter into small cubes and place in a bowl.
Sift the flour, bread soda and ginger into the bowl.
Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
Stir in the sugar and add the syrup and the egg to the mixture.
Mix to form a smooth dough.
Divide the dough in half and roll out one half on a lightly floured surface to 7mm thick.
Cut out half the gingerbread house shapes and transfer them to the baking trays leaving lots of space between the pieces. Try not to distort them. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Bake for about 12 minutes until a shade darker. Let them cool for 3-4 minutes and then lift them onto a cooling rack.
Any extra dough can be used to make extra stars and biscuits.


When cold assemble on the straw board using the icing or melted white chocolate as glue. Decorate when firm. 

Love this from Waitrose, turn your gingerbread men upside down to make reindeer!