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Making the gingerbread parts:
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1.
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Preheat the oven to 190°C and line baking trays with baking paper. |
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2.
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Cut out the template shapes. |
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3.
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Take a section of one of your pieces of dough and roll it out to 6 mm thick using the rye flour for dusting. Work the dough as little as possible. I use two 6 mm pieces of square dowel to ensure an even thickness when rolling. |  |
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4.
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Cut out the required shapes and transfer to the baking trays. |
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5.
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Add some fresh dough to the scraps and repeat until all the shapes have been cut out. Use a small biscuit cutter to cut out windows in the back and front pieces. Cut the door out of the front piece then trim the sides so that it is slightly smaller than the opening (the gingerbread will expand when baked). |  |
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6.
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Using a pallet knife, score the dough for the sides, front and back pieces with lines for bricks. |  |
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7.
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Using the rounded end of pallet knife create "shingles" on the roof pieces. |  |
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8.
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Place the trays in the oven and bake for approximately 10-12 minutes until pressing a finger on top does not leave an impression. To make stained glass windows, remove the tray with the front and back pieces after 8 minutes and fill the hole in each of the biscuits with the crushed pear drops, enough to fill the hole when melted, then return to the oven. |
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9.
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Once the gingerbread has cooked allow it to cool on the tray for 10 minutes, or until is cool enough to be handled. |  |
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10.
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Using the original stencils trim all the pieces back to their original size. Trim the door pieces so that it fits in the doorway. The base piece can be trimmed or left as is, just make sure it fits on the cake board. |  |
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11.
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For the two roof pieces, take off a small section along the top of each piece at a 45° angle, so that the pieces can be joined together in a point. |  |
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12.
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Let the pieces cool completely. |
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Royal Icing:
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13.
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Using an electric mixer or wooden spoon, start mixing the egg white and slowly add the icing sugar. Mix the icing sugar in thoroughly before adding more. |
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14.
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Keep adding icing sugar until hard peaks are achieved. |  |
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15.
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Cover the royal icing with plastic wrap, a damp cloth or lid until ready to use and in between filling the piping bag. Remix the icing before using. |
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Assembling the Gingerbread House:
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16.
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Add some of the icing to a piping bag with a wide nozzle. |
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17.
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Place the base piece on a flat surface and cover with a thick covering of royal icing using a palette knife. |
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18.
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Place the back and two side pieces onto the base and pipe a strip of icing down the inside joins. |  |
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19.
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Position the front piece and pipe a strip of icing down the inside joins. |  |
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20.
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Allow the sides, front and back to set a bit before starting the roof. Keep the royal icing covered. |
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21.
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Pipe a strip of icing over the top of the front and back pieces and along the top section of one roof piece. Place the two roof pieces on top and push gently into position. Allow the roof to set a bit before decorating. Squeeze the remaining icing in the bag back into the bowl and keep covered. |  |
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22.
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When you are ready to decorate add a little bit of water to the remaining royal icing and thin it out. Transfer some of the icing to a piping bag with a thin nozzle and keep the remaining icing covered. |  |
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23.
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Decorate the Gingerbread house with the piped icing along the top of the roof, along the joins, around the windows, over the door and roof edges, as desired. Don't make the icing too heavy as the pieces may slide apart. "Glue" together the two chimney pieces with icing and stick it to the roof with some more. Cover the top and sides of the chimney with more icing. |  |
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24.
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Decorate the roof by piping loops of icing over the surface and sticking Smarties on with a bit of icing on the back. |  |
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25.
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Create a fence along the sides of the house using two candy canes per fence. |
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26.
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Create a pathway across the front and back of the house using the Freckles as stepping stones. |
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27.
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Create a little wood pile at the front of the house using the musk stick cut into 3 pieces. |
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28.
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Position the red holly berries around the house and along the fences. |
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29.
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Pipe some snow over the fences, wood pile and berries. |
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30.
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When finished decorating, sprinkle extra icing sugar over the top using a sifter, to create freshly fallen snow. |  |
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31.
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Transfer the Gingerbread House to the cake board and wrap with cellophane. |  |
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32.
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Secure the cellophane at the top with a ribbon and trim, using sticky tape to close any gaps or pieces that are sticking out. |  |
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