How to build a gingerbread house

A festive guide to edible architecture


Trevor Stayer (Culinary Arts ’98, Baker Apprenticeship ’03) likes to get things just right. That goes a long way when building a gingerbread house.

For instance, to get your edges straight, the Baker program instructor recommends removing pieces from the oven half way through baking and trimming against a template. To keep them flat, roll lightly under parchment paper before they go back in. Then, to square the corners of the house, build them against the edge of a cookie sheet.

But Stayer knows that perfection isn't the point. In keeping with the spirit of the holidays, “It brings people together,” he says of an old-fashioned gingerbread-house raising.

To ensure both structural integrity and loads of fun, check out Stayer’s step-by-step video above and his recipes for gingerbread and icing below.

Gingerbread recipe

gingerbread house made by trevor stayer, nait baking instructor, edmonton

Yields 1 kg (2.2 lbs)

Ingredients        

  • 175 ml (3/4 cup or 119 g) shortening
  • 225 ml (1 1/3 cups or 242 g) sugar
  • 5 ml (1 tsp or 6 g) baking soda
  • 15 ml (1 tbsp or 23 g) molasses
  • 2.5 ml (1/2 tsp or 3 g) salt
  • 3 (1/2 cup or  119 g) eggs
  • 925 ml (3 3/4 cups or 365 g) all-purpose flour
  • 5 ml (1 tsp or 2 g) ginger
  • 4 ml (3/4 tsp or 2 g) cinnamon


Method

Combine all ingredients except the flour and mix until smooth.

Sift the flour and add it to the smooth mixture, mixing until all the flour has been added.

Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 day prior to using.

Roll out to desired thickness and bake at 190 C (375 F) for 10-12 minutes or until done. To ensure straight edges and flat pieces for building houses, remove from oven half way through baking, recut against original template and roll lightly under parchment paper. Return pieces to oven to finish.

Royal icing recipe

Yields 233 g (1/2 lb)

Ingredients

30 ml (2 tbsp of 30 g) pasteurised egg whites (or 1 egg white)
325 ml (1 3/4 cups or 200 g) icing sugar
2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) lemon juice                           

Method

Combine the egg whites with the lemon juice.

Add the icing sugar and mix on the slowest speed of your machine for about 10 minutes. (To start, mix by hand if the machine speed is too fast.)

Use right away or save in a sealable container with a damp paper towel on top. If it is used later it will have to be remixed to a smooth consistency.

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