Gingerbread Houses

how_make

1. Take off the heat and add the Stork. Stir until melted.
2. Sieve the flour with the bicarb and add to the pan. Mix to a smooth dough. Place dough in a mixing bowl lined with cling film. Chill for 30-40 mins until cold.
3. Roll out dough on a floured surface to a thickness of roughly 4mm. Use a sharp knife to cut out the houses at differing heights and widths e.g. heights of 7.5-10cm (3-4 in) and widths of 3.75-7.5cm (1½ -3 in).Have fun with different types of houses e.g. chalet, townhouses etc. Cut the windows out completely for 5 houses if using to sit on the top of the cake
4. Cover baking sheets with baking parchment and arrange houses with a small 1cm gap so they donâ™t run into each other.
5. Bake in centre of preheated oven 190°C, 170°C fan, Gas mark 5 for 10-12 minutes or until the biscuits start to turn brown
6. Whilst still warm, use a sharp knife to trim the edges so that the vertical lines are straight and the biscuits line up beautifully. Cool.
7. To decorate, roll out the sugar paste to a thickness of 1-2 mm. Cut out doors and windows and use the royal icing to attach to the biscuits. Then use royal icing to pipe in all the details: railings, icicles, snowflakes, let your imagination run wild!
8. Use sugar pearls and sprinkles to add texture but sprinkle them whilst the icing is still wet.