Architecture in Progress

So the gingerbread house did happen this weekend! Wille and I designed, baked and built it in between cramming for exams, doing house work and doing other projects.

We used graph paper to make the templates…

 

… and after I rolled out the (bought) gingerbread dough onto parchment paper Wille cut all the pieces out.

 

After the excess dough hade been taken off (and tasted) the template was peeled off and the house parts popped into the oven one after the other.

 

This shot of the baked goods was taken just seconds before Mini decided she wanted to jump off the shelf above the worktop and land on the newly baked gingerbread parts. Good thing our mansion turned out to be a sturdy one!

 

Final flourish with some piped icing. Let me tell you that Wille was the master here. Everything I touched ended up sloppy and wonky (I blame the icing tip….) but Wille’s work was pristine.

So where’s the finished product? I’ll have to show you another day as the icing is still drying. I am a tease aren’t I?!

Comments

[Jo]

Yes you are a tease ;o) but I'll look forward to seeing it finished anyway.
I just did a post on a house that was part of a Christmas decoration house tour.. There was a LOT of timber and with all the lights it looked a bit like a Gingerbread house.
Did you download the template or find a picture you liked or was the design entirely imagined ??
Plus since Mini was the house's first 'visitor' so to speak, I assume you won't be eating it at any point ? ;o)
Jo xx

[Carlos]

We didn't download the design, we just drew it on the graph paper. At one point I made a big mistake in making the roof too long so it wouldn't fit on the baking sheet so I had to downsize the whole thing.

Considering that I kiss Mini all over all the time I wouldn't have a problem with her having touched (albeit with a thump) the gingerbread and eating it but the fact that after Christmas it'll have been out in the open for a few weeks getting dusty, THAT puts me off. So no, I don't think we'll be eating it :)

[enannanhelena]

Ha, Ha, it's for a good reason the saying goes; curiosity killed the cat... I was just doing "a piece" on my own blog, using a ceramic-bird illustrating. The bird was standing on the table and Not in the bookshelf, where it normally "lives". So what happened? My cat started attacing the CERAMIC-bird!! with her little paw, but she's got long claws :) I suppose she wanted to show it off, back to the bookshelf :)

I'll pop in later to see the final "House of gingerbread"!
/helena

[Leena]

I used to make a gingerbread house with my sister, but now that we don't live in the same household anymore I have not done one.
The dust is yuck, we usually ended up eating only the candy, that was used for decorating, from the house, rest went to trash.

I was thinking that I could make a small house and put it under a glass cake cover, then it would not dust. I believe it would look good too.

[Siri]

I love gingerbread houses and gingerbread hearts as Christmas decorations! Here in Bergen we have the largest "gingerbread city" (miniatyre version of the city made of gingerbread houses) in the world! I have a blog post on it if you`d like to see. Your gingerbread house looked like a fun project! Is it a cathedral/church! It looked massive!! Can`t wait to see the finished product. On friday that is??

[Michelle]

You can tell Wille is very precise by his cutting - perfect lines! Mine always looks like a 5 year old cut it out!

We are in the process of "designing/copying" Castle Campbell out of sugar cubes for a 4th grade class project. I showed my boy Wille and Martin's amazing sugar cube construction...he was impressed to say the least!

Michelle

[louisabellisima]

Wow, how beautiful! The best designed gingerbread house I have ever seen.

This time of year I always miss Australia, but reading your blog makes me feel happy to be right in the middle of a European winter. Thank you!

[Carlos]

That would look gorgeous but I don't think I'd be able to find a glass cover big enough for ours this year :).

[christine]

WOW! I can't wait - post tonight?

[Carlos]

It's more of a McMansion...I'll be posting the finished thing the day after tomorrow, Wednesday :). I'll pop over to your blog and check out the gingerbread city later tonight!

[Carlos]

Funny you should mention the 5 year old look... check out my post on Wednesday and you'll find out why :).

[Carlos]

Sorry, you'll have to wait until Wednesday...

[Nancy in Canada]

My mother has been making gingerbread houses for over forty years and it doesn't feel like Christmas if a year is missed. She started making them when my then extremely shy brother started kindergarten in the hopes that by sharing something special, that it would help draw him out and give him something to talk about with the other kids. Of course it was a huge hit and when I started school, I wanted one for my class too. These were big houses measuring 12"W x 15"L x 15"H and lead up to Christmas was dominated by the baking and especially the decorating of the gingerbread houses. When we became too old to make them for school, Mom started making several smaller houses and donated them to a charity to share the Christmas spirit.

Now that I have kids of my own, we try to make one when we have time. Especially memorable was the year when my 7 year old made his own pattern and house and I wouldn't be surprised if one day he makes one that is as elaborate as the one the Wille made! Our school has policies about nut free food brought into the class room and I don't feel comfortable risking bringing one in, so I don't carry one the tradition, but we do have fun with it at home.

[Leslie]

OOOh, I admire your motivation. I keep meaning to make a gingerbread house--I always did when I was a girl--but it always slips by the wayside. Maybe this year! I had giant cookie cutters for my ginger bread houses when I was little, one for the roof, one for the sides and then the front/back. Okay! I think decorating is the best part--gumdrops and whatnot. Thanks!

[Nichole@40daysof]

You are such a tease! :) Can't wait to see the final product.

http://40daysof.wordpress.com/2010/12/06/tiny-pockets-of-organization/

[Amy Herbst (Herbst Handmade)]

Impressive (so far)!

[Amy Herbst (Herbst Handmade)]

Nancy, that's such a sweet story. :-)

[Jo]

I can see how a nice thick layer of dust could be off putting. ;o)
Jo xx

[brittany]

That is soo fantastic, I can't wait for the finished product!! I wanted to try a gingerbread house from scratch this year too, but we have a new kitten who is crazy and rips around the house like a nutbar. She'd probably lick all the icing off the house and we'd have to peel her off the ceiling, so I made a little village out of paper http://endlesslyinspiredonline.blogspot.com/2010/11/holiday-spirit-diy-paper-village.html we only get to light it when the cats are sleeping, but it makes the house feel ready for the holidays.
Looking forward to Wednesday to see how the mansion turned out!

[Katherine]

What kind of recipe did you use for the gingerbread? looks yummy enough for me to try out:)

[Carlos]

I bought the dough as I was in a hurry :).