Tue, 16 December 2025
INGREDIENTS
For the gingerbread:
- 525g plain flour
- 1½ teaspoons bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 3 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ whole nutmeg, grated (or ½ teaspoon ground)
- 190g butter
- 250g light brown sugar
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 6 tablespoons golden syrup
- 8 boiled sweets in colour of your choice – red, yellow and orange are good
For the icing/glue:
- 2 egg whites
- 450g icing sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
To decorate:
- A selection of sweets & sprinkles – jelly tots make good Christmas lights strung along the eaves
- Sprigs of rosemary - dusted with icing sugar these can make trees in the garden
- Marzipan mixed with a couple of drops of food colouring can be used as a moulding clay to make toadstools or festive figures
METHOD:
1) Sift together flour, bicarb and spices and put into the bowl of a food processor. Add butter and blend until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar.
2) Lightly beat the egg and golden syrup together. Add to the food processor and pulse until mixture clumps together. If it looks dry add a couple of teaspoons of cold water and pulse again.
3) Tip out the mixture onto a clean work surface. Knead briefly until smooth. Divide into three pieces and shape into discs. Wrap in cling film and leave to chill in fridge for 15 minutes.
4) Preheat the oven to 170?C (fan)/375 ?F/Gas Mark 5. Line two large baking trays with baking parchment.
5) Print out a gingerbread house template, (you can easily find these on the internet), and cut out the pieces for the template. Roll out dough to 5-6 mm thick on a lightly floured surface. Use the templates and a small, sharp knife to cut out the pieces for the gingerbread house. You will need 2 gable ends, 2 sides and 2 roof pieces, plus any other pieces you want to include – a front door, chimney, gingerbread people etc. Cut out any doors and windows. Put the pieces on the baking trays (you may need to do this in batches) and bake for 10-12 minutes or until turning lightly golden brown.
6) If you have any pieces with windows bake them for 8 minutes and then remove them from the oven. Crush the boiled sweets to a rough powder in a mortar and pestle or in a bowl using the end of a rolling pin. Sprinkle the boiled sweets, in a even layer, into the window gaps and return to the oven for a further 4 minutes. The sweets will melt creating a stained-glass window effect.
7) Allow the gingerbread pieces to cool completely. They will firm up as they cool. Meanwhile to make the icing whisk the egg whites (in a stand mixer or using an electric whisk) on a low speed until light and frothy. Increase the speed and add the icing sugar a tablespoon at a time, whisking well between each addition. Add the lemon juice and then whisk on high speed until the icing forms stiff peaks.
8) Put ¼ icing in a piping bag with a fine nozzle. Decorate the walls of the gingerbread house as desired. Stick on any sweets or other decorations. It is much easier to decorate when the pieces are lying flat. Allow to set for 30 minutes before constructing the house.
9) Spread a thickish layer of icing on the board you will use for the gingerbread house. Put another ¼ icing in a piping bag with a medium nozzle. Then construct the house on the board using the icing as glue to stick the pieces together. Put together the four walls first and allow the icing to set for 30 minutes before adding the roof.
10) Decorate any additional pieces of gingerbread to you have baked and add to the design – front door, chimney etc. Pipe any decorations onto the roof using the icing with the fine nozzle and then add any additional decorations as desired – marzipan mushrooms, pieces of rosemary as trees etc. Be creative!
11) Allow to set overnight in a cool, dry room. Enjoy!
