Anyone Interested In Doing A Gingerbread House Thread

Decorating By thefrostedcakencookie Updated 19 Nov 2014 , 9:27am by MBalaska

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cakemom24 Posted 15 Dec 2008 , 5:59pm
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Hello. I read through most of this tread, but not all. If this is a repeat question I apologize. I am trying to make my first "real gingerbread" house and wanted to melt candy and attach to the back of the windows. I didn't want to bake them in with the walls but attach them after the walls were baked. I tried melting butterscotch on the stove and it was a mess. Should I add something to the candy?? What is the best way to melt these??

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homemaluhia Posted 15 Dec 2008 , 6:31pm
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I've had the best results melting chocolate on a double boiler. I boil the water first, then take it off the burner and put the chocolate in a dry pot. It melts nicely and the heated water keeps it soft for quite a while.

Another question ... had anyone decorated with candy melts or only used it for structure?

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Deb_ Posted 15 Dec 2008 , 11:36pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cakemom24

Hello. I read through most of this tread, but not all. If this is a repeat question I apologize. I am trying to make my first "real gingerbread" house and wanted to melt candy and attach to the back of the windows. I didn't want to bake them in with the walls but attach them after the walls were baked. I tried melting butterscotch on the stove and it was a mess. Should I add something to the candy?? What is the best way to melt these??





Do you mean you want to use melted hard candies for "glass" in the windows? If so, take 2 or 3 hard butterscotch candies and place them in a ziploc bag. Crush them with a rolling pin and spread the crushed candy on a foil lined cookie sheet in a neat little pile. I place the candy in a heated 350 degree oven and they melt in about 5 to 7 minutes. Take pan out and let cool completely before removing the "glass". I attach the glass to the backside of the cut out with royal icing. Voila......glass windows.

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cakemom24 Posted 16 Dec 2008 , 1:26am
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Thank you!!!

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Parable Posted 16 Dec 2008 , 2:37am
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Jana, thanks for all the great links. Your swans and icing church are amazing! Looks like a lot of work, but worth it. Love the santa train instructions. Can't wait till next year.

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Yomomma Posted 17 Dec 2008 , 3:37pm
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This is my gingerbreading results for this year. I like the little houses and think they would be great gifts, decorated according to whatever the current holiday or celebration.
LL

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bobwonderbuns Posted 22 Dec 2008 , 2:57am
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Yomomma, those are darling!! icon_biggrin.gif

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isista Posted 25 Dec 2008 , 1:36pm
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I have been reading and just wanted to share i love gingerbread houses and always afraid to make one. But with the help of all the CC'ers here , i now have the courage.Saved tread to watched topics
Thanks to all..

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antonia74 Posted 29 Dec 2008 , 1:04pm
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Thank goodness for this thread! icon_wink.gif I used many of the links you all posted to get some great tips, so thanks!

Well, here she is. I've decided that although I like planning it, actually DOING gingerbread houses is certainly not my forte.

I made this for displaying in the new bakery I work at, so I thought it only fitting to replicate the amazing bakery building. It's a gorgeous 5-storey historic limestone building that was gutted and rebuilt in 2001 for their grand opening.

My version is a VERY rough copy of its design, using a template as a guide from the book "Gingerbread For All Seasons". I omitted a lot from the original building just to make things easier. It's about 12" x 14" and stuck together with plenty of royal icing and prayers. icon_lol.gif I used fondant for the brickwork and cobblestones (made even easier with impression mats, thankfully!) All the windows are sheets of gelatin, the "baked goods" in the windows are gingerbread pieces and two benches are the only inedible pieces (picked up at the local dollar store.)

I bought the bulb and cord so it could be lit up, but forgot to glue on the front door....so at eye-level, you're just blinded by the stupid bulb shining in your eyes. It won't be lit up at work anyway, so no big deal.
They have it on display there this month.
LL
LL
LL

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Honeydukes Posted 29 Dec 2008 , 1:17pm
post #220 of 492
Quote:
Originally Posted by cakemom24

Hello. I read through most of this tread, but not all. If this is a repeat question I apologize. I am trying to make my first "real gingerbread" house and wanted to melt candy and attach to the back of the windows. I didn't want to bake them in with the walls but attach them after the walls were baked. I tried melting butterscotch on the stove and it was a mess. Should I add something to the candy?? What is the best way to melt these??




I used hard candy for my windows. I rolled/cut my dough and then added crushed hard candy (Life Savers) in the open areas. It looked amazing... until it melted and oozed it's way out of the windows and down the walls of my GB house. I will order gelatin sheets next time.

I don't know if this only happens with LS or if it will with all hard candies. Someone told me they had better luck with Jolly Ranchers. Fruit Roll-Ups (the real fruit kind found in the produce section) were also suggested.

I just crushed the candy between plastic wrap covered in kitchen towels and then put in the windows. It melted just fine. I wouldn't hesitate to do it for cookies or houses meant to be eaten. Just won't do it with something I want to save.

You could crush the candy and melt it on a Silpat. While it's warm, cut it into size with a pizza cutter sprayed with Pam. (Don't cut through your Silpat!)

I hope this answers your question.

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bobwonderbuns Posted 4 Jan 2009 , 3:30am
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I must say y'all are sooooo talented!! I didn't get around to doing the gingerbread thing this year but hey, they year is young! icon_lol.gif Will definitely keep y'all posted!! icon_biggrin.gif

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l5pkel Posted 31 Jan 2009 , 12:52pm
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I haven't been able to visit this thread in a while and I see that there were lots more photos added since I last came by. Some of you have also shared your photos on my site: http://www.gingerbread-house-heaven.com/gingerbread-house-photos.html and some of you haven't. I SURE would love to have them over there as well!! I'm sure my readers would really enjoy seeing these beautiful creations!

Also, I'm hoping to build some pages on gingerbread Easter and Spring creations before long so please share your old photos (same page as above works fine) if you have anything Spring-like.

All the best,
Kelly

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bobwonderbuns Posted 7 Feb 2009 , 1:10am
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Has anyone seen the gingerbread faberge eggs? I'm curious as to how they are made...icon_rolleyes.gif

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jkeeler Posted 7 Feb 2009 , 1:42am
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No, haven't seen them but would love to! Do you have a link to a picture?

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bobwonderbuns Posted 7 Feb 2009 , 2:07am
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No link to a picture icon_cry.gif but I've heard of them. I know that Bragdon's "the gingerbread book" has some with limited pictures and I know that Steven Stellingwerf is doing a Faberge egg demo at ICES this year but I'm not sure if he's doing his in gingerbread or not (even though he wrote one of the best gingerbread books out there!) I wish I were going but I have to work that week. icon_cry.gif

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Win Posted 11 Mar 2009 , 1:52pm
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I finally have finished allll my gingerbread for now. icon_lol.gif I had a hectic Christmas Season and was not able to do anything other than my gift houses for family and friends (posted in my gallery) so I was left with the pieces I had made for my personal house. In January, I decided that I would finish it anyway... who says Gingerbread is just for Christmas? I liked the results so much, I entered the house in the Queen City (Cincinnati) Sugar Arts Show and it took First Place in Techniques No on a Cake (Other) and Best of that division. I had so much fun making a spring version of gingerbread! Just wanted to share.

http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1328174

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bobwonderbuns Posted 11 Mar 2009 , 5:05pm
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Win that potting shed is gorgeous!! icon_biggrin.gif

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Win Posted 11 Mar 2009 , 9:02pm
post #228 of 492

Thanks so much! It was a lot of fun to stray from the norm.

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bobwonderbuns Posted 26 Mar 2009 , 4:35pm
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This was just being discussed on another thread -- have y'all seen the gingerbread eggs by Kraach? Her work is amazing!! And the detail!! WOW!! icon_biggrin.gif

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bobwonderbuns Posted 4 Apr 2009 , 9:36pm
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Has anyone checked out Kraach's Easter cookies? Like this one: http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=923423

Her Gingerbread work is AMAZING! icon_eek.gif

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Win Posted 4 Apr 2009 , 11:04pm
post #231 of 492

Thanks for the link! When you posed the question last time, I was in the throes of a sick mother in the hospital so I had forgotten to check them out. The cookies are so beautiful! Such talent!

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sweetopia Posted 5 Apr 2009 , 4:52am
post #232 of 492

HI!
I just stumble accross this thread, and don't have time right now to read the 16 pages, but I just wanted to say I'm sohappy to see gingerbread houses being discussed. I love making them; and they're what got me started with making cookies, cupcakes etc. There's something so charming about them... I have to admit (ask any of my friends), I'm a gingerbread fanatic icon_redface.gif ... I collect every gingerbread book I can get my hands on, and own all of them that are for sale on the market right now.
Teresa Layman is my absolute favourite! Below is one of the houses I made from her designs. I wrote about her here:
http://www.sweetopia.net/?p=207
LL

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bobwonderbuns Posted 5 Apr 2009 , 1:54pm
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Hi Sweetopia! Welcome to our humble little thread! icon_biggrin.gif I know what you mean about collecting the GB books -- I have quite the collection myself! icon_lol.gif I love Laymen's books as well but lately my fave is Steven Stellingwerf's "The Gingerbread book." So many cool ideas!!

Your work is beautiful!! I can't wait to see more of the GB creations you made!! Cheers! icon_biggrin.gif

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sweetopia Posted 5 Apr 2009 , 4:25pm
post #234 of 492

Thanks Bobwonderbuns!! I'm looking forward to discussing gingerbread houses with all of you too!
(and I like the Gingerbread Book too... although T.L. is still my fave =)

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Rylan Posted 2 May 2009 , 6:45pm
post #235 of 492

Nice gingerbread houses everyone!

Here my gingebrea house that I did last year but it isn't as nice since it was my first time using gumpaste at that time.
LL
LL
LL

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bobwonderbuns Posted 3 May 2009 , 3:29am
post #236 of 492

Rylan that lodge is SWEET!! What great work!!! thumbs_up.gif

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sweetopia Posted 3 May 2009 , 4:24am
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Ryan, wow! What beautiful work!!
Would you mind sharing how you made the black shingles please? Did you use gumpaste, Black Jack gum or something else?

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Rylan Posted 4 May 2009 , 1:33am
post #238 of 492

Thanks guys. I made the shingles using gumpaste. That time my first time using gumpaste and I used the wilton mix which wasn't very good in my experience. Next year will hopefully be better since I now know how gumpaste works.

I just rolled the gumpaste and then cut blocks using a pizza cutter.

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Win Posted 4 May 2009 , 2:36pm
post #239 of 492

Rats! icon_cry.gif I had not gotten notification of additional responses to this thread! Just stumbled upon RylanTy's awesome Lodge and sweetopia's piece of artwork as well. They are both beautiful!

RylanT, I have a lodge in my collection as well:

http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1168419

It's not even close to as amazing as yours as it leans more toward the whimsical side, but evokes (I hope) the same feeling of warmth and the desire to go inside and sit by a large stone fireplace.

I've been blessed to travel to Montana quite a few times... I love the Yellowstone Lodge as well as the Lodge in Glacier National Park. Your work reminds me of those buildings.

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Rylan Posted 4 May 2009 , 6:22pm
post #240 of 492

Win, that looks amazing. I actually saw that once and I was in awe. I also love the potting shed. That was amazing, I wish mines was a good as yours.

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