Wednesday, 19 December 2012

My first Gingerbread House for Christmas

I've been meaning to make a gingerbread house for a long time. I've always been put off because I thought that they looked really complicated and would probably fall down, and also we always seem to be away in the days leading up to Christmas and I have never found the time. Then earlier this year I saw a post on The Crazy Kitchen, where a couple of bloggers were making gingerbread houses for celebrations throughout the year, and I made a resolution that I would make one this Christmas. I added it to my Day Zero Project, researched and planned, and I finally made one!

After all the agonising over it, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was all a lot easier than I had expected! I used this recipe from Tesco, which also includes a printable template for the gingerbread house. There's even a handy video which is worth watching because it contains some useful tips.

Making my first gingerbread house

I'm not really a fan of jelly sweets so I concentrated on the chocolate - chocolate buttons, Maltesers, Minstrels and Smarties. I even let Harry help with the decoration, under my watchful eye of course. I cannot describe how proud I am of my little house. I keep going up to it and admiring it. I am also desperate to start eating it, once I've shown it off to everyone of course!

Making my first gingerbread house

Update - the tradition continued once there were two children on board! Here are my subsequent gingerbread houses:

The 2013 Gingerbread Houses
The 2014 Gingerbread Houses
The 2015 Gingerbread Houses

19 comments:

  1. It is lovely! Going to give it a try here too. We made one from a kit last year but this year I'm going to try one from scratch.

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    1. Thank you! Good luck, look forward to seeing your house!

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  2. That is awesome! I had brought a box mix one to do on Saturday but am now going to give the tesco recipe one a go! Well done, and you have every reason to be proud it is lovely!

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    1. Thank you! Good luck, and you must share how you get on with it!

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    2. Thank you, will update with how well it has gone over the weekend

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  3. Your house looks lovely - I also thought they would be too hard but managed to make two in a week :) But neither of them are as pretty and perfect as yours!

    here http://myguidetohomemade.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/gingerbread.html and here http://myguidetohomemade.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/craft-night-christmas-special.html

    You need to make two so you can eat one and show off one :) x

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  4. That's fab :) please enter the competition over on facebook also www.facebook.com/cakesphotoslife :) x

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    1. Thank you, I have entered although there is some tough competition!

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  5. What a brilliant first attempt and I love your choice of chocolates to decorate. It is good sticking to a theme, mine ended up being very girlish and pastel but next time I will go for more reds and greens I think! Well done, looks wonderful!

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    1. Thank you! Now that I know how easy it is to make I have lots of ideas for themes for future houses!

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  6. that looks brilliant...so neat! I'm so glad I inspired you to make one - it really is easier than it looks, as long as you have the time & don't rush it.
    Thanks for linking up
    x

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    1. It really was easier than it looks, or perhaps I was just lucky and next time I will end up with a massive mess! Thanks!

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  7. It's looks great! Be a shame to eat it and break it up!

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    1. Don't worry, it is definitely going to be eaten, I'm desperate to start on it!

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  8. Looks perfect - I'm going to look up the Tesco recipe next time as they all look far nicer than mine. I love minstrels and my house makes me smile everytime I look at it too - so festive :) xx

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  9. Looks perfectly held together, well done indeed!

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  10. I've still never made one and must do it this year.

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