*please note: all measurements are using standard Australian
measurements, to work out conversions for your country please refer to
the following link: conversion tables
This gingerbread recipe makes 16 large gingerbread people, or can be used to make a gingerbread house. The gingerbread house is always a hit at our place at Christmas time. Look for allergy friendly lollies to decorate, anything colourful will work. The gingerbread can be made up to 3 days ahead before decorating, store in an airtight container. A great Christmas activity for the kids!
125g Nuttelex (see pic, or any preferred margarine)
1/2 cup of boiling water
1 cup golden syrup
4 cups plain flour (use gluten free if needed, see pic)
1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
2 and 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
choc drops or currants for decorating people
Melt the margarine in the boiling water, add the golden syrup. Sift the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and mix well. Refridgerate for one hour covered in plastic wrap. When ready, preheat oven 190 degrees celsius, or 180 degrees with fan. Roll out to1cm thickness (place dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap or baking paper for easier rolling). Cut the shapes:
If making the gingerbread house, see pattern for gingerbread house below, use left over dough for a chimney, trees or little people to add to the house. Cut holes for windows and a door before baking (remember to keep the door and bake with the rest of the dough).
If making the large gingerbread people, use choc drops or currants to decorate before placing in oven.
Bake either option for 15 minutes. Leave on trays to cool. Cool completely before icing people or assembling the house.
Icing
3 cups pure icing sugar sifted
boiling water
Place the sifted icing sugar into a bowl, pour small amounts of boiling water onto icing sugar stirring after each addition. Stop when icing reaches stiff spreadable consistency.
Decorating and Construction
Allergy friendly lollies
Icing sugar for dusting
If making gingerbread people, when cool, place icing mixture into a piping bag (if you don't have a piping bag, any clean plastic bag or sandwich bag with a very small corner snipped off will do) and decorate as desired, my kids love superheros, but your people can be anything you like!
If making the gingerbread house, cover a large flat serving plate with foil, or use any flat board as a base for the house to sit on. Use a piping bag to pipe a layer of icing around where the walls of the house will sit and begin building the house using the icing as glue (see pic below). Build all of the walls first, then the roof. You will need to hold the pieces as the icing sets. You can use pins to keep the pieces in place, be sure to remove them when the icing has set. Use a lot of icing to prevent collapse. Once the house is constructed, add a little more water to some of the remaining icing to make it thinner and gradually drip it down the edges of the roof for the icicle effect. Stick lollies on with icing and dust the whole house with extra icing sugar for snow effect.
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| Template for gingerbread house. Cut 2 of each piece. Measurements are: Roof 20cm x 13cm, Side 15cm x 10cm, front/back 16cm x 10cm with additional triangle measuring 4cm from centre of rectangle to peak of triangle. |
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| Use lots of icing to prevent collapse, note icing on plate to hold pieces in place, assemble walls first, then roof. |
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| Nuttelex margarine: Dairy and nut free margarine found in most supermarkets. |
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| White Wings Gluten Free flour works best for the gluten free option in this recipe. Be sure to buy gluten free plain flour if you are making the gluten free option, this is a pic of self raising flour. |
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| Orgran gluten free flour also works for this recipe's gluten free option. Be sure to buy gluten free plain flour if you are making the gluten free option, this is a pic of self raising flour. |
