GINGERBREAD HOUSE


Nothing says Christmas like a gingerbread house and this one is straight out of a fairy tale. You could decorate the cake with any number and type of sweets, so let your imagination run wild. Be aware that you will need to make up the recipe twice.


(make up this recipe twice):  375g plain flour  1


/2


/2 /4


tsp baking powder


 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda  3 tsp ground ginger  1  1


tsp ground cinnamon tsp each of ground cloves and allspice


 A pinch of salt  125g unsalted butter, softened  75g dark muscovado sugar  1 egg, lightly beaten  100ml golden syrup  350–500g royal icing sugar  Assorted sweets  3 solid baking trays, lined with baking parchment


 a piping bag, fitted with a plain nozzle


1 Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice and salt together into a mixing bowl and set aside.


2 Put the butter and muscovado sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer (or use a large bowl and an electric whisk). Let an adult to help you cream them until fluffy.


3 Add the beaten egg and golden syrup and mix until smooth. Add the sifted dry ingredients and mix again until smooth.


4 Sprinkle a little flour on a clean work surface. Shape the dough into a ball and press it onto the work surface, turning it round often. Do this for a minute, then flatten into a disc, cover with clingfilm and chill for a couple of hours until firm.


5 Repeat steps 1–4 to make a second quantity of gingerbread dough.


52 | THE WESTCOUNTRY FOODLOVER


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