Gingerbread House

Gingerbread is one of things that show off the small differences between otherwise quite similar countries and cultures. While I (being Norwegian) get excited about gingerbread houses around Christmas time, my English friends wonder what all the fuss is about – after all you can buy the stuff in the shops all year round. But there is, at least for me, something special about making gingerbread houses for Christmas; it’s the smell, the fun of the decoration, and not least smashing and eating it in the end.

150ml sugar

100ml golden syrup

150ml whole milk

50g butter

½ tablespoon cinnamon

½ tablespoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon baking powder

500g flour

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

icing sugar, fruit gums and chocolates for decorating

sugar for assembling the house

The dough should rest in the fridge for 24 hours before being used, but will last for about 4 weeks if wrapped well in cling film.

Warm the sugar, golden syrup, butter and spices over low heat in a pan, until the sugar has dissolved. Stir continually to prevent it from sticking and getting burnt. Remove from the heat, and add the milk gradually while stirring. Leave the mixture to cool.

Mix the baking powder, xanthan gum and four together, and sift these little by little into the mixture. You should be left with quite a firm dough.

Cover the dough in clingfilm and leave in the fridge for about 24 hours. This allows the flavours to develop.

Roll the dough out on a smooth surface lightly dusted with flour. You want to roll it until it’s about 1cm thick. You can now cut out shapes for gingerbread men, or walls and roofs for a house. There are several web sites that offer free patterns for houses, or you could make your own if you are adventurous.

Bake on 200^OC for about 15 minutes, depending on the size of the shapes.

Leave the shapes on a wire rack to cool. Once they are cool you can decorate with icing and sweets. It’s easier to do this before assembling the pieces into a house. For sticking house-parts together, either use icing, or melted sugar. Be aware that melted sugar is extremely hot, so it is very easy to burn yourself – if you go for this option please be careful.