BUSH CHRISTMAS

SWAP A TRADITIONAL SNOW-COVERED GINGERBREAD HOUSE FOR A MORE AUTHENTIC AUSSIE ABODE.

Try your hand at this twist on the gingerbread house.

GINGERBREAD FARMHOUSE

Makes 1 Copy templates on page 85 using measurements supplied. Alternatively, enlarge templates by 165 per cent on a photocopier and cut them out. 5 cups plain flour 3 teaspoons ground ginger 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon 3 teaspoons ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon ground cloves 2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda 250g unsalted butter, softened 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup golden syrup 2 egg yolks CHOCOLATE ROOF TILES 200g milk chocolate melts ROYAL ICING 2 eggwhites 3 cups pure icing sugar, sifted brown food colouring small wreath made from soft twig, to decorate (optional) STEP 1: MAKE GINGERBREAD DOUGH Sift flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar for about 5 minutes or until light and creamy. Add golden syrup and egg yolks and beat until well combined. Add flour mixture and beat until a soft dough forms. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead until smooth. Divide dough into 3 equal portions. Shape each portion into a disc. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for 30 minutes to rest.

STEP 2: MAKE ROOF TILES Cut fifteen 15cm x 3cm strips of baking paper. To make chocolate roof tiles, place chocolate melts in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan half-filled with simmering water (make sure bowl doesn’t touch water). Stir with a metal spoon until chocolate melts and is smooth. Remove bowl from heat. Using a flat-bladed knife, thickly spread melted chocolate over paper strips until completely coated. Place chocolate-coated paper strips on 2 large trays. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until chocolate is hard. Carefully remove paper from chocolate strips. Using a sharp knife dipped in boiling water and quickly wiped dry, cut each chocolate strip into five 3cm squares. (You will need about 70 chocolate tiles to make the roof and we have allowed extra in case of breakages.) Store in an airtight container in refrigerator until required.

STEP 3: CUT OUT GINGERBREAD PIECES Preheat oven to 180°C. Line 4 large baking trays with baking paper. Working with 1 disc of dough at a time, roll out gingerbread dough between 2 sheets of baking paper until 4mm thick. Remove top layer of baking paper and use bottom layer to transfer rolled dough to a tray. Place tray in freezer for 15 minutes. >

Remove from freezer and use paper to transfer dough to a work surface. Place templates on dough (as many as will fit comfortably). Using a sharp knife, cut around templates. Reserve templates and use paper to return dough to tray (without removing trimmings). Freeze for 10 minutes or until firm. Remove dough from freezer. Remove trimmings from around cut-out pieces and reserve. Place cut-out pieces on 1 prepared tray and return to freezer for 10 minutes. Repeat until you have 8 cut-out pieces: 2 side walls, 1 front wall, 1 back wall, 1 front roof, 1 back roof and 2 verandah posts. (Flip template when cutting second side wall so top of cooked gingerbread is facing out on both side walls when assembled.) Reroll trimmings, as required (any leftover dough can be made into biscuits).

STEP 4: BAKE GINGERBREAD Working with 1 at a time, remove a cut-out gingerbread piece from freezer and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake until lightly golden: front roof will take about 14 minutes, rear roof, and front and back walls about 12 minutes, side walls about 10 minutes and posts about 6 minutes. Working quickly, use paper to transfer cooked gingerbread pieces to a wooden board or work surface. Place matching template on top. Using a small sharp knife, carefully trim around template. If gingerbread hardens during trimming, return to oven for 1 minute. Discard (or eat!) cooked trimmings. Return gingerbread to hot baking tray to cool completely. Repeat until you have baked and trimmed all gingerbread pieces.

STEP 5: DECORATE AND ASSEMBLE To make royal icing, using an electric mixer, beat eggwhites until foamy. Gradually add icing sugar, beating until a stiff paste forms (you may not need all 3 cups). Spoon a little white icing into a small piping bag fitted with a 2mm plain nozzle. Tint remaining icing with brown food colouring. Cover surface of brown icing with plastic wrap, then place a damp tea towel over bowl to prevent drying out (or place in an airtight container). Using piping bag, pipe a door and 2 windows onto front and back walls of house. Pipe windows onto side walls, if desired. Attach wreath above door with icing. Allow to set for 30 minutes. To assemble farmhouse, spoon some brown icing into a medium piping bag fitted with a 5mm star nozzle. Pipe plenty of icing around bottom and side edges of back wall, then fix to a cake board or breadboard. Use cans or other pantry items to support wall and keep it upright. Repeat with a side wall, attaching it to back wall on board. Repeat until you have built all 4 farmhouse walls. Allow to set for 2 hours or until hard. (While icing sets, cover remaining brown icing with plastic wrap and a damp tea towel. Alternatively, place in an airtight container.) To assemble roof, pipe plenty of brown icing along top edges of all walls where back roof piece will sit. Carefully position back roof, using cans or other pantry items to support it. Repeat with front roof section. Trim verandah posts, if necessary, then pipe a little brown icing onto each end and carefully place in position under roof of front verandah. Allow to set for 2 hours or until hard. Working with 1 at a time, pipe a little icing onto back of each chocolate roof tile. Starting at the eaves, attach tiles to roof, overlapping slightly, up to ridge. Allow to set for 1 hour before serving. NOTE To save time, use thin eating chocolate, broken into squares, for the roof tiles.