Gingerbread Tutorial

As Promised...

December 2002

Gingerbread and Graham Cracker House

Instructions...

As a young girl, I learned to make Gingerbread Houses...REAL Gingerbread Houses. I made the dough, rolled it out, baked it, cut out the pieces, then assembled it. I would sell Gingerbread Houses to earn money for Christmas.

Little did I know that this I would use my Gingerbread House expertise for MANY years to come. Making the large Gingerbread Houses utilizes the same techniques needed for assembling the small Graham Cracker Houses.

As a gift to my children, their friends, scout groups, school classes, neighborhood friends, etc., I have been helping children assemble their own Graham Cracker Gingerbread house for 25 years. It is something I enjoy doing every year.

Below, are some of the secrets I have learned along the way, with a focus on the Graham Cracker Houses:

• Each House Takes 5 Graham Crackers. (See Below)
• Each Box of Graham Crackers contains 27 Graham Crackers (9 in each pouch)
• Cut each piece (One at a time) with a serrated knife. Go back and forth with a sawing motion to make a cut that will not break the rest of the Graham Cracker. DO NOT try to cut more than one at time, "just to save time" One or more of the crackers will crack if you do that.
• You will need 2 of each piece.
• ROOF= 3/4 of a Graham Cracker
• SIDES= 1/2 of a Graham Cracker
• FRONT and BACK- Cut from the middle perforated line on the Graham Cracker to a corner, then cut from the other side middle perforated line up to the center line. The Graham Cracker perforated lines help as a guide for centering
• Use a large Pastry Bag with a wide tip for piping the icing on in thick lines.
• Use a Styrofoam Plate (inverted, aka upside down) as the base. If you want to get fancy, use red plates. If you have a lot of time, or just want something extra to do, cut out pieces of cardboard and cover them with aluminum foil, or colored foil wrapping paper (this works well for the larger houses) I also use the Wilton round cake bases for the larger houses.
• If you are making a larger house....buy a kit. It is so easy. However, I always use more of my own candy and decorations than the kit provides.
• Use A Variety of Candies. Tried and True Candies are: Red and Green M&M's, Cinnamon Red Hots, Peppermint Candies, Miniature Candy Canes, Gum Drops, Fruit Loops Cereal, Red Licorice, etc. For the large houses, I like Neccos Candy or Shredded Wheat to make the roof.
• Have Candies organized and ready to use. Once the icing is piped on, it dries quickly.Place candies in individual plates at the center of the table.
• I like to work with groups of 4-5 at a time, but have worked with larger and smaller and it always turns out great.
• If you have a large group of children, have other stations with activities to keep them occupied while they are waiting for their turn or upon completion. (Making an ornament, Christmas Card, decorating cookies, a Christmas Craft, etc.)
• Make Icing Right when it is time to start the project. NOT AHEAD OF TIME.
• Use ROYAL ICING...not canned store bought icing.
• ROYAL ICING RECIPE: (This is enough for 1 large house or 5 small Graham Cracker Houses)
• 3 Egg Whites
• 1/4 tsp Cream of Tarter
• 1 1/2 Pounds Powdered Sugar. (This amount varies with climate. Here is the humidity of South Florida, I use almost 2 pounds) Whip on high speed until the icing peaks stand up and the shine is just gone. This is very temperamental icing. Don't let kids lick the bowl...Raw Egg Whites....nuff said. (For a classroom or group, I plan on 25 houses, this recipe can easily be doubled, tripled ,etc)
• When icing is mixed, place in pastry bags and begin to assemble. When working with a group...YOU pipe the icing on, then have the children place their candies on.
• Warn Children that this icing has RAW EGG WHITES in it and they should NOT eat it or lick their fingers.
• Don't have children attempt to pipe the icing, unless you have a lot of time and extra icing. They tend to use too much and make a HUGE mess.
• Have damp rags ready for hand wiping.
• Always assemble the front, back, and sides before attaching the roof. It is much easier to work without the roof on.
• Add the roof, add the icing, decorate, and enjoy.

Graham Cracker House Pieces.... 5 Crackers per house to make 6 pieces

Large or small, the same basic techniques apply.

Here is me with Andrew after our 2002 Big House assembly.
This year's first Gingerbread night...

Merry Christmas!

Enjoy and Contact me with Questions

Sneak Peak

Oh What A Night...

Time does not permit a detailed account of the wonderful

Gingerbread Activity we hosted at our home last night.

For now...enjoy a drop in the bucket sampling of

the oodles of photos shot throughout the evening....

I was smart...I handed my camera to someone else and

viola...living proof...I am the Gingerbread Mom...

With lots of help from the leaders and moms, this was the perfect start to a season of Christmas Celebrations! More photos on the Wellington Ward Blog later. And......drum roll...because many have asked for it.... a detailed tutorial on Gingerbread (Graham Cracker) Houses, Icing, Strategies, etc. I think I just may be an expert at these little houses after 25 years.

Gingerbread Night

Gingerbread Session #2

Last night, I hosted the 8-11 year old girls from Church for my annual Gingerbread House night.

The also made the wood Gingerbread Man ornaments below.

Here they all are gathered in my kitchen with the finished products.They always turn out so cute. Everyone adds a personal touch to their creation!
These houses are actually made with cut Graham Crackers.
Styrofoam plates are used for the base.
Tonight, I host the 12-18 Year old Young Women from Church for a Gingerbread Session.
I absolutely love sharing this activity!

Gingerbread

Gingerbread House Session #1

This is the first of 3 groups I will build Gingerbread (actually small Graham Cracker) Houses with this Christmas Season.....

Generally, I work with a group of 5-6 children at a time. Each group takes about 20 minutes. I pipe the Royal Icing (recipe below) on and they decorate with the candies provided.
Every house, every time turns out differently and oh so cute!

Making Gingerbread houses, large or small, is one of my very favorite Christmas traditions.

This is the gift I give to my children's school classes, neighborhood friends, scout groups.

Two more groups to go next week.. The Primary Activity Day Girls and My Young Women from Church!

Even if you buy a Gingerbread House kit, I would recommend using this Royal Icing in a pastry bag. It works much better than the icing mixes or pre-mixed icings that come with the kits. Caution-Royal Iciing contains Raw Egg Whites. I have never had a child get sick or any other problems over the last 35 years while using this icing, but I alway use caution and tell children not to eat the icing.

Royal Icing

3 Egg Whites

1 1/2 lbs Confectioners Sugar (more or less depending on humidity)

1/4 tsp Cream Of Tarter

Add the Cream of Tarter and 1 lb of the Confectioner Sugar to the Egg Whites. In an electric mixer, beat on high. Gradually add remaining Sugar and continue to beat until icing forms peaks. The icing will still have a shine to it.

Gingerbread House Season

My First Gingerbread House

Of The Season....

This house will be auctioned off at the School Carnival week. It is relatively simple compared to many I have constructed and decorated.

In some circles, I have been called The Gingerbread Mom...

Over the years, I have built hundreds and hundreds of Gingerbread Houses. Small ones, large ones and everything in between.

As a gift to my children's school classes each year, I give a Gingerbread House Making Day. Each child makes a small Graham Cracker Gingerbread house. Scout Groups, Church Groups, and neighborhood children have all participated in this tradition with me. Each Christmas season, I literally help build hundreds of these small houses with children.This is one of my favorite Christmas Time Traditions.

The large houses are a perfect gift to give someone who is hard to figure out a gift for.

I wrap them in cellophane and tie them with a beautiful bow. This makes a beautiful presentation. People use the large ones as Centerpieces and the small ones as favors at place-settings.

I started making Gingerbread Houses when I was 13 years old and sold them for $5. Wow! Add a 0 to the 5 and that is the minimum I get for most of the houses I make now.

Several Gingerbread House Making Days are already scheduled for the upcoming month... watch for the exciting reports here!