Gingerbread House II

 Ingredients: For one sheet: 300 g flour (650), 150 g brown sugar, 100 g honey, 2 eggs, 60 ml vegetable oil, 250 ml milk, 2 handfuls of raisins and other dried fruits and candied ginger, 2 handfuls of mixed nuts (hazelnuts, cashews, almonds...), 1/2 packet of baking powder, zest of one lemon, one teaspoon of rum essence, a pinch of salt, one teaspoon of ground cinnamon and cloves. For the glaze: 1 egg white, juice from one orange, 700 g powdered sugar.

To prepare a delicious gingerbread sheet, we start by carefully sifting the flour together with the baking powder, cinnamon, ground cloves, and salt. This combination of dry ingredients will give a wonderful taste and a special aroma to our preparation. We continue by adding the grated lemon zest, which will bring a fresh note, the dehydrated fruits cut into small cubes, sprinkled with rum essence for an extra flavor, and the roasted nuts, coarsely chopped with a knife, to achieve a pleasant texture.

After adding all the dry ingredients and the others, we will obtain a dense dough that can be easily rolled out using a spatula. We pour the dough into the prepared pan, lined with baking paper, and place it in the preheated oven on low heat, letting it bake for about 30 minutes. It is important to ensure that the sheet cools completely before continuing with the decoration.

To prepare the glaze needed for both assembling the elements and for decoration, we start by lightly beating the egg white with a fork, without turning it into meringue. We gradually add the orange juice and mix it with the powdered sugar until we obtain a thick but fluid glaze. Its consistency can be adjusted with juice or powdered sugar, as needed. Once the gingerbread sheet has cooled, we carefully peel off the baking paper and trim the edges to obtain the desired shapes: the middle wall, the roof, and the windows.

Assembling the gingerbread house is done patiently, starting from the center and adding details as the glaze dries and stabilizes. After placing the roof, we use the glaze to create icicles at its peak. We decorate the door frames with colored glaze in green, obtained by mixing spinach puree, and for an attractive look, we add strips of dehydrated kiwi and cubes of dehydrated mango.

From the cut edges of the sheet, we make firewood, and we shape the snowmen from plastic chocolate, giving them a cheerful touch. The little fir trees are created with colored glaze, brought to life with spinach puree. Every detail is essential, and creativity knows no bounds. With patience and imagination, we will create a gingerbread house that not only looks wonderful but will also be a delight for all who savor it.

 Tags:  eggs milk flour oil sugar lemon honey nut christmas and new year's recipes vegetarian recipes recipes for children gingerbread