Gingerbread House Tutorial

My Granddaughters look froward to this every year. Decorating the gingerbread house but before we can decorate the house we need to make the house with the gingerbread cookies tutorial

Ingredients:
6 cups all purpose flour
1 cup dark corn syrup
1/2 cup molasses
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
4 teaspoons cinnamon
4 teaspoons ginger
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup butter room temperature
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs
Ceramic Mold for gingerbread house
corn starch for dusting
assorted candies for decorations
large plate to place house on
royal icing

In a large bowl sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, salt, set aside.

Cream together in a large bowl, butter and brown sugar, add eggs, molasses, and dark brown corn syrup, mix well til fluffy.

Add flour mixture with butter mixture, mix by hand til well combined. Divide dough in to thirds, wrap in plastic. Chill for 4 hours, at this time also place the ceramic mold in the freezer.

Royal Frosting
3 tablespoons of Wilton meringue Powder
4 cups powdered sugar
6 cups warm water
Place in large bowl with mixer, mix for 7 minutes, it will make a stiff frosting for the house , and accessories.

Remove ceramic mold from freezer dust with corn starch, it works better than the nonstick spray(which is recommended by the mold manufacture)

Press the dough into the mold.

Stick a fork into the dough, and peel back  the dough.

Lay on the cookie sheet keep about 1 inch apart. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, til center is stiff, but not  browned around the edges. Allow to cool completely before assembling the house.

The first year I tried making the house I made the mistake of trying to put it together, not letting  it dry completely before the children began to decorate it. Of course the house collapsed.
 An adult needs to assemble the house and allow it dry before decorating it. Place royal icing in a parchment bag, run a bead of icing along the bottom, and side of cookie. Use a plastic bowl to hold it together til it hardens, and dries.

Also run a bead of frosting on the inside of the house, for extra holding power.

Place frosting on the top of the walls of the house, and also on the top where the roof meets.  Allow frosting to dry hard, it does not take long about an hour, then begin decorating. Enjoy the moment and treasure the memory.