Megnut

My mom throws a gingerbread party every year in which she makes houses for every family who attends, and they spend the party decorating the house. I will try and get her gingerbread recipe. In the meantime, a few tips:
1) You can use the canned egg whites for the frosting. It makes the process of making the frosting go MUCH faster. Don't forget to cover any frosting with a wet paper towel when you are not using it
2) When constructing the gingerbread house a large can is very helpful when putting those first two walls together. Put the walls together with the can between them and go from there. However, do not forget to remove the can before you put on the roof.
3) Make sure that whatever you put the gingerbread house together on is not flimsy. You will end up with cracks in your "foundation" if you don't go with something fairly sturdy.
4) Do not make the roof too large. I don't know if you have a pattern, but if the roof is too large it will slide off.

As you can see we have learned a fair amount through the years. Have fun with it. I would also recommend buying some candies that you don't have any idea what to do with. Those are always fun while you are decorating.

Good luck!

- MalinDC on November 30, 2006 @ 12PM

If you don't overcook them, I'd recommend this gingersnap recipe instead of gingerbread.

http://dexygus.typepad.com/feeding_dexygus/2004/11/imbb_10_cookie_.html

- Anonymous on November 30, 2006 @ 12PM

Egads, I have a bunch of gingerbread photos from my kiddos last year. Wouldn't it be fun to have a party with adults and/or kids and make gingerbread houses? Serve some nog and hot chocolate, make extravagant messes? I think it is GREAT you are making a gingerbread house: take pics this time!

I am such a cheater, just bought the costco houses for the kids. But at least the gingerbread won't break, right? No tears, and plenty of leftover candy...

...better to make your own and hand-selecting the candy is pure genius! Good luck!

- janelle on November 30, 2006 @ 2PM

You gotta eat those thing. That is part of the fun of construction. My wife had kids making those things at lots of birthday parties. And I must say I made a few my self.

So let your brother eat away.

- Dean on November 30, 2006 @ 6PM

I made a gingerbread house every year from about 12 to 25. And again last year. I always use the Original Times cookbook gingerbread recipe, but with some extra flour and extra spices. Roll it and cut it - make yourself a template out of shirt cardboard first. Cut the doors and window out before you put it in the oven. Make sure and bake through - longer at a lower temp probably. You can used crushed sourballs for stained glass windows (and little strips of rolled dough for muntins). You can also do some decorating with dough before baking...little dots and lines, and shutters. My favorite roof: Necco wafers. Makes like a mediterranean tile roof. And yes, eat it, don't store it. Or bring it to work and have the office vultures devour it. I remember taking hunks to school in my lunch bag.

- maggie on November 30, 2006 @ 7PM

And about the roof...I always "sew" it together with a couple of loops of dental floss to "hinge" it at the top. A sturdy needle will slide right through.

- maggie on November 30, 2006 @ 7PM

Maggie, I had planned on using Necco wafers for my roof already. I was so pleased when I came up with that idea because I thought they'd make such colorful tiles! :)

Thanks for all the suggestions folks, and keep them coming. I guess I will consider eating it too, it just seems like it will be stale and gross by the time Christmas rolls around. I was planning to get started on it next week.

- megnut on December 1, 2006 @ 7AM

The Toronto Star just had a contest where they asked the six or eight top architectural firms in the city to make gingerbread houses, then they published the results. The photos are on their website. Not the Hansel and Gretel cottages I'm used to seeing in gingerbread!

- Maureen Bandola on December 1, 2006 @ 11AM

Maureen, thanks for the tip, link will be up in a few hours!

- megnut on December 1, 2006 @ 12PM

Hi! There's new book out there - the picture book for children, where the beautiful fairyland scenery is made of gingerbread....

Search for the title In the Land of Gingerbread at the link:

www.forgetmenotbooks.com

Enjoy!

- Lee A. Braun on December 2, 2006 @ 6PM

Martha Stewart's Christmas book has a pretty detailed piece on building a gingerbread house. It's completely over the top, with gold leaf on the roof, etc., but it's Martha Stewart, so it's pretty comprehensive. She even makes sugared windows. Definitely worth a look.

- gabrielle on December 8, 2006 @ 12AM

i think your idea of gingerbread houses are kinda weird I don't understand what to do but thaks for trying to help. :>

- Mel on December 18, 2006 @ 8PM

http://valariescakesnpies.blogspot.com/

www.valariespics.shuttefly.com
password:gingie

Love your house!

Valarie Enters

- Valarie Enters on December 27, 2006 @ 9PM