Method

Gingerbread

Preheat the oven to 170 ºC.

In a saucepan (or the microwave) melt together the butter, sugar and golden syrup.

Mix the flour, bicarbonate of soda and ground ginger into a large bowl, then stir in the melted butter mixture to form a stiff dough. Add a tiny splash of water if needed to help bring the dough together.

Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Put a sheet of baking paper on a work surface and roll one ball of dough to about 2 mm thick. Download and print the gingerbread house template and cut out along the black lines. Use these cut-outs as a template to cut your dough to form your house, you will need 2 of each piece. Re-roll the trimmings if need be to cut all of the pieces necessary. If there is leftover dough you can use a cookie cutter to make trees or additional decor.

Transfer the baking paper with the cookies onto a baking tray and place into the oven to bake for 20 minutes until firm.

Remove from the oven, The biscuits may spread slightly and may need to be carefully trimmed before assembly. Do this while still warm and then allow to cool completely.

Royal Icing

Whisk the egg whites for 1 minute, then slowly, while still whisking add the sugar and cream of tartar to the mix. For the correct consistency add ½ a tsp of water until the desired flow is met, it should be ribbon-like.

To Assemble your Gingerbread House

Use the royal icing as ‘cement’ to build your gingerbread house, allowing time in between for it to dry so that it holds firm.

Place some of the royal icing into a piping bag with a small thin nozzle and decorate your house any way you choose. Use flaked almonds as roof tiles and dust with icing sugar for a snowy effect.