Build your own gingerbread house
YOU WILL NEED
✓ 1 x Tesco Gingerbread Mix ✓ 40ml cold water ✓ 250g royal icing sugar ✓ Silver crisp pearls ✓ Mini meringues ✓ 1 tbsp icing sugar, to dust
DIRECTIONS
Q The day before you want to assemble your house, make the dough according to the
Tesco Gingerbread Mix instructions (you will also need butter, water and golden syrup). When you’re ready to build, remove the dough from the fridge. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/Fan 160ºC/Gas Mark 4. Line 2 large flat baking trays with non-stick baking paper.
▪ Roll out the gingerbread dough between 2 pieces of non-stick baking paper to the thickness of a £1 coin. Remove the top piece of paper and, using a sharp knife, cut out the following:
4 x front and back wall pieces measuring
16cm x 23cm. From the centre point at the top, cut the 23cm sides diagonally to 13cm creating a pentagonal house shape. Keeping the dough on the paper you rolled it out on, carefully transfer the wall to the lined baking trays. Bake for 12 minutes.
▪ Collect any trimmings and re-roll and cut out the following:
2 x roof panels measuring 14cm x 21cm (bake for 10 minutes)
2 x side walls measuring 13cm x 20cm (bake for 9 minutes)
1 x chimney piece measuring 2.5cm x 8cm (bake for 4 minutes)
1 x chimney piece measuring 2.5cm x 11cm (bake for 4 minutes)
2 x chimney pieces measuring 2.5cm x 11cm, then cut one side diagonally to 8cm to create a slant (bake for 4 minutes). Leave the gingerbread to cool on wire racks while you make the icing.
▪ To make the icing, whisk 40ml cold water with the royal icing sugar using an electric whisk for 4-5 minutes, until soft peaks form. Spoon into a large piping bag fitted with a small plain nozzle, or a clean sandwich bag with a small corner snipped off.
▪ To assemble the house, pipe the icing generously along the wall edges and use to stick them together. Use tins or jars to support the walls while they set. Pipe a little icing on the inside seams for extra support. Leave for 30 minutes to an hour to set.
▪ Meanwhile, assemble the chimney breast using the icing as before. Make sure both edges slant in the same direction.
Leave to set.
▪ Remove any tins or jars used to support the walls, then attach the roof panels using the icing. Hold the roof in place for a few minutes, then leave to set for another 30 minutes.
▪ To decorate, use the remaining icing to pipe on windows and doors. Pipe a scalloped line across the top of the roof and repeat underneath in intervals to look like roof tiles. Add patterns, dots or lines where you wish. Line the edges of the house with silver crisp pearls using the icing to secure them. Pipe a line of icing around the roof edges and lightly press in a line of mini meringues along the top.
▪ Finally, carefully attach the chimney to the roof and gently hold in place for a few minutes until beginning to set. Dust the whole house with icing sugar to create a snowy effect.
Recipe and image courtesy of Tesco Real Food, realfood.tesco.com