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Plan on taking at least 3 days for this project.
Day one - baking of pieces
Day two- assembly of house (morning sides, gables and porch supports followed by 3-4 hours of drying and then the roof and porch in the evening) Let dry overnight.
Day three- chimney assembly and decoration of rest of house. Let dry several hours more before transporting.
Pattern pieces:
Roof: 12.5 x 6.7 inches (31.8 x 17.1 cm) Cut and bake 2 of these
Porch roof and floor: each 12.5 x 4 inches (31.8 x 10.2 cm) Cut and bake 2 of these
Chimney sides: 9 x 1 inches (22.9 x 2.5 cm) cut and bake 2 of these
Chimney tops 3 x 1 inches (7.6 x 2.5 cm) cut and bake 2 of these
Chimney front: make grid squares 1 inch (2.5cm) x 1 inch on bristol board and use photo in video as a guide and draw pattern on corresponding square on paper. Cut and bake one of these.
Gables: 9x6x6 inch triangle (22.9x15.2x15.2 cm)
Door: 4x2 1/2 Inches (10.2x 6.4 cm) cut and bake one of these
Window: 3x2 1/2 inches ( 7.6 x 6.cm) cut and bake 2 of these
Notch template:
A rectangle 1 inch x 2 1/4 inches with a notch cut out 7/16" deep by 1 inch wide, centered on one side of rectangle (5/8 " from ends).
Gingerbread Dough Recipe:
(You will need 3 batches of this dough)
1 cup shortening
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cups fancy molasses
1/2 cups blackstrap or cooking molasses (I used 1 1/4 fancy for both molasses because I couldn't find blackstrap molasses here)
6 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp ginger
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1tsp ground cloves
Cream together sugar and shortening, beat in eggs one at a time.
Add molasses and blend well.
In another bowl mix together flour, salt and spices.
Blend dry ingredients a little at a time into the wet mixture until a dough forms. Using hands if necessary form a dough ball, divide into two equal portions. Wrap dough in plastic wrap or put into plastic bags and refrigerate for at least two hours.
Royal icing:
(you will need 2 or 3 batches of this depending how much you use)
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup meringue powder
4 2/3 cups icing (powdered) sugar
Beat water with meringue powder until foamy about 4 minutes
Beat in icing sugar one cup at a time, beat until very stiff peaks form when beaters are lifted about 4 minutes. Cover with damp towel to prevent drying out. (can be refrigerated and made ahead for up to one day, mix well before using)
Front and Back logs:
Between sheets of waxed paper roll half batch of dough into a 11 1/2 x 8 inch (29.2 x 20.3cm) rectangle. about 1/2 inch thick
With long edge on top, cut horizontally into sixteen 1/2 inch wide logs (1cm) Slide paper onto cookie sheet and freeze for 20 minutes. Divide logs between to parchment lined cookie sheets, spacing 1 inch apart and pressing with two rulers to straighten. With fingers pinch tops slightly to round logs. Bake one sheet at a time at 350F- 20 minutes or until they are slightly brown on the bottoms. While still warm out of oven and on baking sheet use the notched template to cut out a notch on both ends of one side. Let cool completely on pan on rack.
Porch roof supports and side logs:
Roll out one half batch of dough into 11 1/2 x 8 inch rectangle.
Cut into two pieces, one 8 x 2 1/2 inch and one 9 x 8 inch.
Reserve small piece for porch roof support beams.
Side logs:
With wide edge at top, cut larger piece into 16-1/2 inch wide logs (cut on long side so that they are 9 inches long) Freeze, separate onto two cookie sheets, bake and notch like the front and back side logs above.
Porch roof support beams:
With long edge at top, cut smaller piece into 4- 1/2 inch strips. Freeze and bake as above front/back logs. Cut notches into 2 logs and 1 end only.
Gables:
Roll out a half batch of dough as above into a 12 1/2 x 11 inch rectangle (will be about 1/4 inch thick). Using pattern cut out one roof and one porch piece (both should fit perfectly on the dough rectangle with little to no excess). Cut the dough right through the waxed paper and peel it off afterwards.
Freeze and bake as above.
NOTE: If you find that your roof and porch pieces are soft in the center on the bottom side after they have cooled. I suggest putting them back in the oven for an additional 15 minutes or so until they are dark brown and very crisp. I have had gingerbread houses collapse due to underbaked roof pieces.
Repeat with another half batch of dough for other side of roof and porch piece (2 roof pieces and 2 porch pieces)
Chimney:
Roll out another half batch of dough to 1/4 inch thickness, large enough to fit the chimney template on it (I made a large circle, 1/4 inch thick).
Cut out chimney pieces over top of waxed paper. Cut out door and windows on this piece if you can fit them in, if not re-roll the scrap dough to 1/4 inch thick, using more dough if required.
Score the door piece with lines resembling planks.
Chimney stones: Cut up pieces of leftover/broken logs or bake up another small rectangle of leftover dough and break into small pieces.
Let all pieces cool thoroughly. I let mine sit out overnight on racks to cool and dry.
Assembly:
Walls:
Using piping bag fitted with at 1/4 inc plain tip, pipe icing along unnotched side of 1 long side press onto foam core, notch up, repeat with another long log approximately 9 inches behind. Pipe icing into notches and onto notched side of 2 short logs. Press into long logs to lock together to form base. Pipe icing along top of all logs. Dab notches with icing. Place 2 logs along side, so notches fit into notches of longer logs. Repeat to make a total of 7 layers of logs. Let dry until firm about 1 hour.
Gables:
Using piping bag, pipe icing between 1 set of gable logs, gently press together to form gable. Repeat to make second gable. Pipe icing along top of 1 side wall, press gable onto wall, supporting with tall bottle or cans. Repeat on other side wall. Let stand until dry 1-2 hours.
Porch Floor:
Place long edge of porch floor against front wall.
Porch beans and supports
Trim 2 notched logs to 4 1/2 inches and trim two unnotched logs to 5 1/2 inches.
Pipe icing into notch of 1 beam and press onto top front wall at one side. Dab icing onto top and bottom of porch supports, place under opposite end of beam and press onto porch floor. Repeat for other side. Let stand until dry, about 30 minutes
House roof
Pipe icing along top edges of gables, gently press front roof in place, resting on porch beams, secure with additional icing at corners. Support roof in place with bottles or large cans. Let stand until firm and dry. I recommend overnight.
Repeat with back roof, joining at peak with icing.
Chimney:
Spread chimney front and sides thickly with icing, smooth with knife. Press chimney stones into icing so icing squashes up to resemble grouting. Let dry at least one hour or ovenight.
Pipe icing along one long edge of each chimney side, attach to cabin wall, fitting under roof. Pipe icing along other long sides, attach chimney front. Hold in place with bottle until dry, about 30 minutes. Attach chimney tops with icing to roof and chimney piece, trimming to fit if necessary. Spread with icing and press in remaining chimney stones.
Windows and door:
Decorate as desired and spread icing on the back of them and press them onto the wall of cabin.
Porch Roof:
Pipe icing along 1 long edge of porch roof and dab underneath opposite corners. Position on top of porch beams with top edge angled slightly against house roof. Support with bottle until dry, about an hour.
Porch railing:
Trim baked log scraps to fit between cabin and front porch supports for side railing, attach with icing and prop until dry.
Decorate with candies as desired adding icing for snow as desired.