The last time I made a gingerbread house for Christmas was back in 2000 and it was a disaster. It was an extremely hot day and the icing just would not set and the roof kept sliding off. Eventually the whole thing collapsed and I told my then very small children that we would eat it as it was. They remember the collapsed gingerbread house to this day.
This year, after more than a decade of gingerbread house-free Christmases, I decided to try making one again. I discovered that the icing recipe I used the first time was probably no good as it was just icing sugar and lemon juice. This time I made royal icing (3 cups icing sugar beaten until stiff with 2 egg whites). Royal icing sets as hard as a rock. I also read that it helps to prop up the walls with canned goods when constructing the house.
Yesterday my daughter Emma drew up the template for the pieces on graph paper and last night I baked the gingerbread. This morning, with some trepidation, we constructed and decorated the cake.
It worked, fortunately, although next time I think I will make the roof line less steep. Then I won't have to stand propping up the roof while the icing holding it up sets.
Have you ever made a gingerbread house? Do you have any tips?
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