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learn to ice
Have you always wanted to know how to make your own gingerbread house but think it'll end up a pile of rubble? We get asked lots of questions about constructing sturdy gingerbread houses, so we're here to wave our inner Kevin McCloud over your gingerbread house ambitions. ![]()
Just use the very easy step by step guide in our DIY gingerbread kit and watch our helpful video demo below.
Step 1: Make the line icing using all the icing sugar included in the kit and gradually adding water. TIP: For your icing to glue the whole structure together (without breakages) the consistency needs to be like toothpaste. To ensure you don't make the icing too runny, add the water teaspoon at a time. If you make the icing too runny, add more royal icing sugar to the mixture, and mix well. For best results mix using a hand whisk. If you are making your icing from scratch use our very easy recipe here. You will need to make it with 500g of icing sugar. If you want to make your gingerbread dough from scratch, use our recipe here
Step 2: Fill your piping bags with the white line icing. At Biscuiteers, we never use piping nozzles, so snip the end of the bag (across the seam) to give yourself a fine line. You can test the flow of icing by practising on parchment paper.
Step 3: Start by decorating the two roof panels. You can do this using a cross hatch technique or creating joined up 'w's'. Put this to one side until the icing is completely hard and dry to the touch.
Step 4: Decorate the two side panels - you can use the mini candy drops, red glimmer sugar and silver baubles to add some texture. Remember to stick the decoration on while the icing is still wet. You can tap the excess glimmer sugar into the lid of your DIY gingerbread house kit. Leave these to one side to dry until the icing has set and everything is dry.
Step 5: Decorate your front panels using the remaining line icing and decorations. Make sure all panels have dried properly before you move onto step six.
Step 6: Cut a slightly larger hole in your piping bag, as you will need a generous amount of icing to stick all the panels together.
Step 7: Get the front panel and add two parallel lines onto the non decorated side toward the left and right edges. Add a line of icing onto the bottom of the panel, as this will stick the panel to your cake board.
Step 8: Get your two window panels and add some white icing along to bottom (again this will need to stick to the cake board) and to the sides.
Step 9: Stick the windows to the front panels and hold in place for five minutes.
Step 10: Now add the back panel using more line icing and hold in place. You need to make sure the structure is sturdy at this stage, as the roof is the heaviest part and will need the walls to be fairly secure. TIP: use some icing on the inside of the structure to re-enforce the walls. Don't worry about it being too neat as no one will see this part once the roof has gone on!
Step 11: Put a generous line of icing around all of the edges, the apex of the front and back panels and the top of the window panels.
Step 12: Attach one of the roof panels, making sure you have left a gap of around 0.5 cm fron the top of the front and back panels. then add the other roof panel, again leaving a 0.5cm gap at the top. Hold everything in place for 5-10 minutes. Listen to your favourite Christmas carols to pass the time! It's really worth holding these panels as long as you can.
Step 13: Use the remaining line icing to fill the gap where the roof panels do not meet - this will contribute to the snowy effect! You can then add some silver balls or mini candy drops to look like roof tiles.
Step 14: Sit back and admire your work. Don't forget you can use up any left over icing decorating your cake board. Spreading the white icing to cover the board will make the house look like it's surrounded by snow!
There! Not so difficult, eh?!
Don't forget to check out our other DIY collections for Christmas.
Send us some snaps of your finished house and share them on social with the hashtag #BiscuiteersMagic
How to make a gingerbread house
07 December 2014
|
5 mins
Step 1: Make the line icing using all the icing sugar included in the kit and gradually adding water. TIP: For your icing to glue the whole structure together (without breakages) the consistency needs to be like toothpaste. To ensure you don't make the icing too runny, add the water teaspoon at a time. If you make the icing too runny, add more royal icing sugar to the mixture, and mix well. For best results mix using a hand whisk. If you are making your icing from scratch use our very easy recipe here. You will need to make it with 500g of icing sugar. If you want to make your gingerbread dough from scratch, use our recipe here
Step 2: Fill your piping bags with the white line icing. At Biscuiteers, we never use piping nozzles, so snip the end of the bag (across the seam) to give yourself a fine line. You can test the flow of icing by practising on parchment paper.
Step 3: Start by decorating the two roof panels. You can do this using a cross hatch technique or creating joined up 'w's'. Put this to one side until the icing is completely hard and dry to the touch.
Step 4: Decorate the two side panels - you can use the mini candy drops, red glimmer sugar and silver baubles to add some texture. Remember to stick the decoration on while the icing is still wet. You can tap the excess glimmer sugar into the lid of your DIY gingerbread house kit. Leave these to one side to dry until the icing has set and everything is dry.
Step 5: Decorate your front panels using the remaining line icing and decorations. Make sure all panels have dried properly before you move onto step six.
Step 6: Cut a slightly larger hole in your piping bag, as you will need a generous amount of icing to stick all the panels together.
Step 7: Get the front panel and add two parallel lines onto the non decorated side toward the left and right edges. Add a line of icing onto the bottom of the panel, as this will stick the panel to your cake board.
Step 8: Get your two window panels and add some white icing along to bottom (again this will need to stick to the cake board) and to the sides.
Step 9: Stick the windows to the front panels and hold in place for five minutes.
Step 10: Now add the back panel using more line icing and hold in place. You need to make sure the structure is sturdy at this stage, as the roof is the heaviest part and will need the walls to be fairly secure. TIP: use some icing on the inside of the structure to re-enforce the walls. Don't worry about it being too neat as no one will see this part once the roof has gone on!
Step 11: Put a generous line of icing around all of the edges, the apex of the front and back panels and the top of the window panels.
Step 12: Attach one of the roof panels, making sure you have left a gap of around 0.5 cm fron the top of the front and back panels. then add the other roof panel, again leaving a 0.5cm gap at the top. Hold everything in place for 5-10 minutes. Listen to your favourite Christmas carols to pass the time! It's really worth holding these panels as long as you can.
Step 13: Use the remaining line icing to fill the gap where the roof panels do not meet - this will contribute to the snowy effect! You can then add some silver balls or mini candy drops to look like roof tiles.
Step 14: Sit back and admire your work. Don't forget you can use up any left over icing decorating your cake board. Spreading the white icing to cover the board will make the house look like it's surrounded by snow!
There! Not so difficult, eh?!
Don't forget to check out our other DIY collections for Christmas.
Send us some snaps of your finished house and share them on social with the hashtag #BiscuiteersMagic