Christmas Sorted | Page 14

  Traditional Gingerbread house Additional Ingredients required: • 1 egg white • 2 cups icing sugar (approx.) • Food colouring • Smarties (or M&Ms) • Marshmallows • Edible baubles • Any other decorative sweet that takes your fancy Instructions for making gingerbread 1. Preheat oven to 180 C. 2. Divide the uncooked gingerbread mix into four, and wrap 3 pieces in plastic wrap and refrigerate. 3. In sections, turn out onto a sheet of baking paper, roll to about 5mm thickness, then cut to size according to the template. 4. Bake for 10 minutes, and leave to cool. Remember to trim any pieces (with a sharp knife) that may have swelled out of shape before they cool and harden. When you’re ready to do the frosting: 5. Whip egg whites until they form soft peaks, then sift in sugar and fold in. Colour if desired. 6. Put in piping bags, and pipe the thin end on both sides, then attach two long side sections. Sit on base (i.e. In a U shape) and leave to dry, propping if necessary 7. Pipe two sides of other thin section and attach, then leave to dry. 8. Position roof using dressmaking pins, then pipe icing in generously, allowing it to flow over in sections so it looks like snowy dribbles. 9. Add door, piping along hinge area and prop until dry. 10. Decorate like crazy. Don’t forget to remove the pins! Not e: Be c au se t he frost ing ha s e gg w hit es i n it, you sho uld c on su m e w ith in a few da ys, or avo id th e frosti ng if you co nsum e la te r. Bu t to be ho ne st , t he gi nge rbre a d w il l ha rde n too m uc h in m o re th an th re e-four days a nyw ay . A ft er tha t, it’s just fo r displ ay.