GINGER BREAD HOUSE

Click here for the 'Seeds of Eaden' seed shop

This cake is an ideal centrepiece on any table, and can be customised easily.  You can be  as creative as you like with the decoration, and even add gingerbread men and women into the scene.  The sky's the limit.

Serves 12

Ingredients

200g soft brown sugar

200g butter

500g self-raising flour

4 tablespoon golden syrup

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon mixed spice

½ teaspoon nutmeg

450g royal icing sugar

75ml water

To decorate:

Desiccated coconut

4 tubes of Smarties

3 pack of Jelly tots

Method

Pre-heat oven to 180C/gas mark 4. Line two baking sheets with baking paper.

Gently melt the butter, sugar and golden syrup in a large pan. 

Sift into a bowl the flour, ginger, mixed spice, and nutmeg. Add the butter mixture to the dry ingredients and mix together with a wooden spoon to form a stiff dough.

Lightly dust the work surface with flour and roll out the dough until it is 5 mm thick.  Using a house template cut out the house pieces and transfer to the baking sheets.  Bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly browned.  Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To assemble the house you will need to use the royal icing to act as glue. Place the royal icing sugar in a bowl and add the water.  Mix together to form a thick paste. Place the icing mixture into a piping bag.

Pipe the strips of icing onto the edges of the gingerbread pieces.  One by one stick the wall pieces together.  Support the house whilst you build it by placing cans next to each wall. Allow the icing to dry for at least 1 hour.

Ice along the edges of the roof and attach to the gingerbread house, supporting the structure with cans and books until the structure is dry.

Decorate the gingerbread house with the remaining icing.  Pipe tiles on the roof and fix smarties to act as roof tiles.  Fix sweets over the sides of the house to illustrate windows and door.  Decorate with jelly tots and coconut to create a snowy scene.


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