It just wouldn't be Christmas without a Gingerbread house - would it? I think not. I love making them - love the rolling out of the dough - love baking it which makes my house smell like the Keebler Kitchen - love "gluing" the pieces together, seeing my creation come to "life".....hate watching the roof slide onto the floor....hate seeing the front of the house do a triple dismount onto the counter.....hate making batch after batch of Royal Icing to re-glue the thing....and yet....when it's finally set - thanks to skewers and cans pushed up against it - it is a thing of beauty - at least it is compared to what it USED to look like!
(I would have provided pictures of the disaster in the making but I left my camera at a friends house so I have no evidence that I EVER had a problem with this house whatsoever!)
The trick to baking a house that will last is to over bake it so that it's as hard as the mister's head....which as you may or may not know, is as hard as metamorphic rock. But I digress....over baking makes the Gingerbread a little darker - but it also dries it out so that if it does take a tumble - a small one - it won't break - at least that's been my experience.
It is CRUCIAL to make the Royal Icing exactly as it says - or else it won't set up in a timely fashion and you'll be left holding the roof until your arm starts to spasm...again, that's been my experience. 
You can see that this Gingerbread House would never win ANY award - it's crooked, which adds to the charm - and yes, it HAS charm....and it's kind of slopped together - but I loved making it for one reason - it was fun. And when little kids come to the house they like seeing it - which only adds to my Christmas.
I was at a friends house last night and there were 6 kids decorating 3 Gingerbread Houses - having a great time....eating candy - gluing it on - eating more candy - and the houses were adorable - I kicked myself for not having my camera! Their houses were much cuter than mine - and the best one of all was done by a 10 year old! If you haven't made a Gingerbread House before - what's stopping you? Make one this year - it's not THAT hard and if you make a mistake you just eat it and try again!
Gingerbread House - adapted from The Joy of Cooking (The recipe in the book also provides a pattern, but I prefer to make my own)
Dough:
Whisk together thoroughly:
6 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
4 teaspoons ground ginger
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves or allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
Beat on medium speed until very fluffy and well blended:
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
Beat in until well combined:
2 large eggs
1 cup dark molasses
1 tablespoon water
Beat half of the flour mixture into the molasses mixture until well blended and smooth. Stir in the remaining flour, then knead the mixture until well blended. If the dough is soft, stir in more flour until it is firmer and more manageable but not at all dry.
Place the dough in a sealable plastic bag or airtight plastic container. Set aside in a cool place, but not the refrigerator, for at least 2 hours or up to 6 hours. Or refrigerate the dough for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature before using.
Meanwhile, cut out pattern pices using graph paper or even a manila-folder-weight paper. Draw your own design but remember, the bigger the pieces the harder it is to put together. You will need two roof pieces, two side pieces, one front and one back - both the same size. If you're brave add a balcony or a chimney or even a ....gasp....staircase!
Rolling out the dough:
Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Have ready several cookie sheets. Divide the dough in half. Working with 1 portion at a time, (leave the other covered to prevent drying) roll out the dough to a scant 1/4-inch thick directly on a large sheet of wax or parchment paper, keep the layer as uniform as possible.
Place the pattern pieces on the dough and carefully cut around the edges with a sharp knife. Lift the parchment paper up and put it on a cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining pieces.
Bake until the pieces are tinged with brown and beginning to darken at the edges, 11 to 15 minutes for larger house pieces, 6 to 8 minutes for small house pieces. Transfer the pieces, along with the paper, to racks to cool.
Royal Icing: - from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book
Combine 3 egg whites, at room temperature, one 1-pound package confectioner's sugar, about 4 3/4's cup, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar. Beat with electric mixer 7 to 10 minutes or till frosting is very stiff. Keep frosting covered with damp cloth at all times to prevent crust from forming. Makes 3 cups. I double the recipe so I have plenty for "mishaps" and for snow around the bottom of the house.
Constructing the House:
If you have a pastry bag and large writing tip, apply the icing glue with it. Otherwise, apply it as neatly as possible using a spoon or the tip of a knife. Start by finding a base or tray to put the house on - even a platter works well. Glue the house together - waiting until all four sides have set a little bit before adding the roof pieces. Let the house stand, uncovered for a least 1 hour or longer before decorating - several hours is best. Decorate the house with your favorite candies by using more Royal Icing for glue.
And don't be embarrassed by how your house turned out....I wasn't!
