Christmas Gingerbread

I do love Christmas traditions.  I am also partial to a bit of kitsch and childish glee. Ticking all those boxes is the gingerbread house and gingerbread cookies for the tree I made this week.  The rustic charm of the house is due in no small part to a few subsidence problems due to my royal icing not setting quickly enough and my gingerbread being a bit wonky – but hey, curlywurlys came into their own as a roof ridge and hiding the gap where the top of the roof didn’t meet properly and jam jars make wonderful scaffolding till all is firm enough to hold its own. Start another Christmas tradition by having a mulled wine whilst you wait then your gingerbread roof will all seem a lot straighter! 

If you are vegan do not despair you can be easily make this recipe by using caramel to stick the gingerbread together rather than royal icing and choosing your decorations carefully – mini Oreos would make wonderful roof tiles. Use icing sugar mixed with a bit of lemon juice and water to make a thickish paste for a snow effect and vegan chocolate buttons instead of jelly tots. 

I’m just going to give the recipe for the gingerbread here as all the decoration is purely to your taste and can be as over the top or as minimal as you like.  I used gingerbread house cutters from Lakeland which come as a set to make the shape of the house but there are lots of stencils on the internet you can print out and cut around or you can make up your own design.  I didn’t bother with the chimney mind you!  There are similar sets available in some supermarkets too.  

There is enough mixture here to  make some cookies as well as the gingerbread house.  I like to put some in bags and give them as little gifts as well as hang some high up on the tree away from Labrador temptation. 

I’ve given the recipe here using cup measurements as I find that easiest. 

Ingredients

• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 cup butter or non dairy spread
• 1 cup black treacle
• 1 egg or egg substitute (ie 1tbsp ground flax and 2tbsp water)
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 1/2 cup water
• 6 cups plain flour,, sieved
• 1tbsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp ground ginger
• 1tsp each cinnamon, clove, nutmeg

Method

1.  Cream together butter/spread and sugar
2. Add treacle, egg (or substitute, vanilla essence and mix.  
3. Add remaining ingredients and combine till dough is formed
4. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for 3 hours or overnight in fridge
5. Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick and cut out shapes
6. Bake at 175c for 10-12 mins until cooked through
7. Allow to cool before decorating/assembling.