Christmas is definitely near. When you and your loved ones make a gingerbread house with the wish to always be together, Christmas will be much warmer and more meaningful.
Today, ILLUME e-MAG will share with you a simple recipe from Phan Anh (Hanoi). The cake wall, in particular, is extremely delicious and crispy, allowing it to be displayed for an extended period of time without collapsing. (If you’re going to eat the cake right away, roll it thin and bake it for a shorter time.)
This cake is quite simple to create; the most essential thing is to keep an eye on the baking time to ensure that the temperature is consistent and precise so that the cake’s walls are golden and crispy.
With incredibly basic ingredients, you can totally follow the step-by-step instructions that the famous admin of the Love Kitchen group provides. Let’s go to work right away, guaranteeing success on the first try!
Pretty and elegant gingerbread houses with brown sugar cake walls and white snow cover the Christmas atmosphere without having to be sophisticated.
Ingredients: (For 1 large house and 1 small house as shown in the picture)
- 250g unsalted butter
- 250g brown sugar
- 7tbsp golden syrup (can be substituted with molasses)
- 600g all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 3-5 tsp ginger powder (depending on taste)
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Prepare
- Set the oven to 180 degrees Celsius, convection mode, and 2 heat bars.
- With nonstick parchment paper, line it on the baking tray.
- Cut out the pattern for the house’s wall with paper.
Instructions
Step 1:
Melt the butter, sugar, and golden syrup over medium heat, whisking constantly until the sugar melts. Turn off the heat and set aside for 2 minutes before adding the vanilla extract.
Step 2:
In a large bowl, mix all of the remaining dry ingredients. Mix well with a spatula to avoid lumps of ginger powder or cinnamon powder which can taste pretty spicy.
Step 3:
Make a tiny hole in the center of the dough, slowly pour in the warm butter mixture, and knead. Keep kneading until smooth and stretchy.
Note: If the mixture is too dry, add a bit more water. If the mixture is too moist or sticky, knead it again until smooth. This step should be performed while the dough is still warm for greater precision.
Step 4:
Once the dough is smooth, transfer it to a flat surface lined with non-stick parchment paper.
Step 5:
Divide the dough into 5 equal parts. Shape each part into round pieces, then lay it on parchment paper and roll it to roughly 3mm thin.
Step 6:
Place the drawing on it and cut it according to the shape. It’s not difficult to do. Design your own mold based on your drawing to save money! Anyway, we only use it once a year for Christmas.
Step 7:
Arrange evenly on a baking tray.
Step 8:
To replicate tile ornamentation, it is possible to use a fork to puncture the wall and roof plane. This technique also assists in keeping the wall flat, elegant, and free of blisters during baking.
Note: Use a thin knife to cut windows and doors according to the pattern. Keep the sliced dough for making the door. You can use flower, star, and heart-shaped cookie cutters to add the corresponding picture window. Keep the cutouts’ dough to create decorations for the house.
Step 9:
Preheat the oven to a high temperature. Remember to bake in the center of the oven.
Step 10:
Allow the pastry to cool.
Step 11:
Making a mixture to attach the house: Put 200g of brown sugar in a small pot, heat over medium heat until the sugar is completely melted.
Step 12:
Dip each wall into the melted sugar and quickly and firmly adhere it to the base.
Note: It is important to imagine and estimate the whole house before grafting with sugar since hard sugar dries quickly. Although we don’t have to wait for it to dry, it couldn’t be fixed after drying.
Step 13:
When attaching one wall bottom to the base, dip it in hot sugar to act as glue.
Step 14:
Attach each piece until the house’s basic framework is complete.
Making a mixture for decorating the gingerbread house – Royal Icing
- 300g powdered sugar
- 2 egg whites (70-80g)
Beat the egg whites rapidly, then add the sugar and continue to beat at high speed until the cream is thick and ready to use.
Tips for aromatic icing that doesn’t have a fishy egg smell:
– Pick fresh eggs
– Take out the whole embryo from the white (the hard mucus part has a small spiral attached to the yolk)
– Add a little bit of vanilla extract or lemon juice.
After putting up the house, let it dry completely before decorating. The mixture can be used on the roofs, windows, and “floors”.
Depending on your imagination and taste, decorate with M&M candies, marshmallows, snacks, and biscuits.
Note: It is recommended not to assemble the house on a rainy day.
Decorate with royal icing from top to bottom.
If not used all up, spare royal icing can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
It would be better if the frame was smaller than the base plate in order to have more decorating space around the house.
If the cake is wrapped or covered, it can be stored for up to two weeks before eating.
Wishing you a Merry Christmas!