Gingerbread house recipe

delicious. team

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Gingerbread houses are deceptively simple to make and are so creative. Make one as a centrepiece on a cake or on the festive table.

Ingredients

125g unsalted butter

100g dark muscovado sugar

3 tbsp golden syrup

300g plain flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

2 tsp ground ginger

1 large egg white

250g sifted icing sugar

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6.

2. In a pan, melt butter, dark muscovado sugar and golden syrup.

3. Mix plain flour, bicarbonate of soda and ground ginger in a big bowl. Pour over the butter mixture and stir to a stiff dough.

4. Roll out on baking paper to 3mm thick. Cut out 6 pieces in the following sizes, as in the picture, above:

• 2 x 7.5cm x 3.5cm rectangles

• 2 x 6.5cm x 3.5cm rectangles, each topped with a 6.5cm-high triangle

• 2 x 10cm x 8cm rectangles (roof)

5. Space out on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes or until just firm, then allow to cool for a couple of minutes before trimming again. Cool completely before assembling.

6. Mix 1 large egg white with sifted icing sugar to make a smooth, thick icing. Fill a piping bag and pipe generous lines to join the four walls together. Allow to dry before adding the roof. Dry completely before decorating as you like.