Making the Icing
Constructing the House
Royal Icing is important because it is used not only to
decorate the gingerbread house but as cement to hold the
whole thing together. The ratios you need are:
1.
1.
2. Snip a larger whole in your icing bag, about 6mm, and
ift half the icing sugar into the egg whites and beat
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together until white and glossy. Keep adding icing
sugar until you reach soft peak stage – if you touch
the icing with the back of your spoon the peak will flop
over but still hold its shape. If it doesn’t flop over it is
too stiff and you will need to add a few drops of water.
If it is too runny add more icing sugar.
coat the edges of the side pieces of the windows. Take
the back piece of the house and liberally pipe along the
bottom edge.
3. Stick the back piece into place on the board and then
push the side window pieces into place. Take the front
piece, again piping icing liberally along the edges and
push it into place.
2. O
nce you have it made set it aside in the bowl and
cover with a damp cloth to stop it drying out.
3. To use the icing sugar take a disposable piping bag
(available in many kitchen shops or online) and fill
it about halfway. If you don’t have a piping bag a
sandwich bag will work just as well. Tie the end to stop
it squeezing out and snip off the pointed end to the
desire size when ready to use.
ake your bag of royal icing, snip a hole about 2/3mm
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in diameter and pipe some windows onto the side
pieces. Leave to dry.
4.
ipe a generous amount of icing onto all top edges of
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the house then gently place the two roof pieces on top.
You may need to support the roof pieces until they set.
A couple of yoghurt pots or some foam works well.
5. Pipe along the edges of the chimney pieces and fix into
place. Pipe a generous amount of icing onto the top
edge of the roof, concealing the join. Stick sweets to it
before it sets.
6.
eave the house to set for several hours, preferably
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overnight then decorate as you wish with sweets,
chocolates and icing.
B
y Fay Millar
brightoncakes.com
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