Gingerbread house – easy ‘how to’ plus recipe

I have always looked at the fabulous gingerbread houses and imagined they were really difficult to make so I never got any further than admiring them from afar oh and eating them of course

Then Lakeland asked me if I’d like to review one of their Fairy Cottage moulds which can be used with gingerbread or chocolate. Versatile and easy.

I said yes as you know I can’t refuse a challenge and I was amazed just how easy it was to make my first gingerbread house, not only that I really enjoyed making it and had a smile on my face from start to finish. I have a confession – I didn’t let the girls help me I was so engrossed in my creativity, oops. Lucky it’s a mould and we can use it time and time again

So here’s what your Lakeland Fairy Cottage moulds look like. They cost £11.99, you can order them online and have them delivered too.

NB: Lakeland – please could you make a plastic box to put them away in, like a made to measure briefcase? Only reason they are in silicone and as they’re only used occasionally throughout the year I’d hate them to get ripped or broken by mistake.

The moulds are suitable for gingerbread and chocolate but I went with the classic gingerbread to start with

Gingerbread house recipe

courtesy of Lakeland

Ingredients

180 g butter

125g brown sugar

300g treacle OR golden syrup (I used syrup for the lighter colour)

500g plain flour

1/4 tsp salt

1 tbsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Extra flour for rolling

Method

Pre heat the oven to 170C

Melt butter in a large pan over a low heat then add the sugar and syrup, remove from the heat and stir. Add the dry ingredients and mix until blended into a thick dough

Tip the dough onto a floured board, knead with flour, then tear off pieces of dough and press into the mould.

Place onto a baking tray and bake for 25 – 35 minutes or until firm to touch – the dough will crisp as it cools

Allow to cool before removing from the mould.

Royal icing

Ingredients

500g icing sugar

1 tsp cream of tartar

3 egg whites

Place the sugar and cream in a medium bowl. Gradualy add the egg whites whisking with an electric mixer until the mixture forms into a thick white paste, the whisk should be able to stand upright in the mixture. If required add more icing sugar

Spoon the icing into a piping bag, twist top and begin building the house using the icing as your ‘glue’