Well, it’s nearly Christmas.

I never feel as though it’s Christmas until the kitchen is covered in chaos with mess everywhere and yummy things slowly taking shape. Today I hit that moment! I started off with the making of mango ice-cream followed by making the stuffing for the turkey. I then made the gravy for Christmas lunch ready to reheat on the day. The annual construction of my gingerbread house was next on the list. Because no one really eats it and it is purely the fun of “smashing” it that counts, I wasn’t that fussed when I didn’t have any golden syrup, just treacle. Just means it’s a bit darker than usual. It takes ages doing this sort of baking in my ‘toy’ oven.  I sincerely hope this is the last year I have to contend with this limited kitchen space.

I start by making individual pieces, 2 X roofs, 2 X side and end walls and a door.

 

Using royal icing and a small palette knife I ‘build’ the house by sticking the pieces in the following order. One side wall, then the front or back wall piece, the other side wall then the other end piece. Then, very carefully the roof. Experience has taught me to have a couple of supports ready to stop the roof from sliding off until the icing goes hard.

 

 

 

 

 

I then use the icing to make hanging icicles around the roof edges.

 

 

 

 

Lollies are then stuck with icing around the roof and house and the board is decorated with an assortment of treasured Christmas decorations. I’ve been making this now since 1983 and it really does feel like Christmas when I see it in its place and the smell of gingerbread wafts through the house.

Merry Christmas everyone. Have safe and happy festive season.