Gingerbread For A Gingerbread House Food

GINGERBREAD FOR GINGERBREAD HOUSE KIT

Steps:

• In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and baking powder; set aside.
• In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Mix in spices and salt. Beat in eggs and molasses.
• Add flour mixture; mix on low speed until thoroughly combined. Divide dough into thirds and wrap in plastic. Chill for at least 1 hour.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. On a well-floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes, or using template instructions, if desired. Place dough shapes on ungreased baking sheets; chill until firm, about 15 minutes. Bake 15 minutes, or until gingerbread is firm in the center, but not dark around the edges.
• Click here for our Gingerbread House template and Gingerbread House Kit instructions.

GINGERBREAD FOR HOUSES

Steps:

• Into a large bowl, sift together flour, spices, baking soda, salt, and pepper; set aside. In a large saucepan, melt shortening over medium-high heat, about 4 minutes. Whisk in sugar and molasses until well combined. Remove from heat, and stir in the flour mixture until just combined but still crumbly. If dough is still sticky, add a bit more flour.
• Turn out dough onto a large piece of plastic wrap, and wrap to enclose completely; let cool slightly, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees, and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Divide dough into two equal parts, and place on prepared baking sheets. While dough is still slightly warm, roll out gently but firmly to a 3/8-inch thickness. Cut out desired shapes, and remove excess dough from around cutters or templates.
• Bake 30 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.

SIMPLE GINGERBREAD HOUSE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Melt the butter, sugar and syrup in a pan. Mix the flour, bicarbonate of soda and ground ginger into a large bowl, then stir in the butter mixture to make a stiff dough. If it won't quite come together, add a tiny splash of water.
• Cut out the template (download from the tips below). Put a sheet of baking paper on a work surface and roll about one quarter of the dough to the thickness of two £1 coins. Cut out one of the sections, then slide the gingerbread, still on its baking paper, onto a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, re-rolling the trimmings, until you have two side walls, a front and back wall and two roof panels. Any leftover dough can be cut into Christmas trees, if you like.
• Pick out the most intact flaked almonds and gently poke them into the roof sections, pointy-end first, to look like roof tiles. Bake all the sections for 12 mins or until firm and just a little darker at the edges. Leave to cool for a few minutes to firm up, then trim around the templates again to give clean, sharp edges. Leave to cool completely.
• Put the egg whites in a large bowl, sift in the icing sugar, then stir to make a thick, smooth icing. Spoon into a piping bag with a medium nozzle. Pipe generous snakes of icing along the wall edges, one by one, to join the walls together. Use a small bowl to support the walls from the inside, then allow to dry, ideally for a few hours.
• Once dry, remove the supports and fix the roof panels on. The angle is steep so you may need to hold these on firmly for a few mins until the icing starts to dry. Dry completely, ideally overnight. To decorate, pipe a little icing along the length of 20 mini chocolate fingers and stick these lengthways onto the side walls of the house. Use three, upright, for the door.
• Using the icing, stick sweets around the door and on the front of the house. To make the icicles, start with the nozzle at a 90-degree angle to the roof and squeeze out a pea-sized blob of icing. Keeping the pressure on, pull the nozzle down and then off - the icing will pull away, leaving a pointy trail. Repeat all around the front of the house. Cut the chocolate mini roll or dipped Flake on an angle, then fix with icing to make a chimney. Pipe a little icing around the top. If you've made gingerbread trees, decorate these now, too, topping each with a silver ball, if using. Dust the roof with icing sugar for a snowy effect. Lay a winding path of sweets, and fix gingerbread trees around and about using blobs of icing. Your gingerbread house will be edible for about a week.

ROYAL ICING RECIPE FOR A GINGERBREAD HOUSE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In a large bowl , combine the confectioners' sugar, cream of tartar, and pasteurized egg whites. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Turn the mixer to high and beat until the mixture is thick, bright white, and will hold a stiff peak. This should take at least 7 to 10 minutes. If the icing is still too soupy, add more confectioners' sugar a little at a time. Don't add too much, or the icing will be dry and hard to work with.
• When finished, cover with plastic wrap, making sure it touches the royal icing so a crust doesn't form. Royal icing dries out quickly, so make sure it is covered all the time. Otherwise, lumps will form in the icing and they will never pass through an icing tip.
• When ready to use, transfer to a piping bag and decorate . Enjoy.

STURDY GINGERBREAD HOUSE DOUGH

Steps:

• If the dough is too hard or unmanageable, you can microwave it for 20 to 30 seconds.
• Heat the oven to 350 F.
• Re-roll dough scraps for the remainder of the pieces.
• Enjoy!

GINGERBREAD HOUSE

Steps:

• Sift flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and cardamom into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat shortening in large bowl until fluffy. Add sugar and beat to blend. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Add molasses and beat on high speed until well blended. Add dry ingredients in 4 additions, beating at low speed until dough forms. Divide dough into 6 equal pieces. Flatten each piece into rectangle. Wrap each in plastic and refrigerate until firm enough to roll, at least 6 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
• Rolling, Cutting and Baking:
• Each of the six pieces of dough will be used for one of the large sections of the house (the two side walls, the front and the back walls, and the two roof sections). The scraps will be rerolled to make the roof tiles, trees, stars, figures and other cookies for nibbling.
• Make templates:
• On one cardboard sheet, draw 14-inch round and cut out, making base for house. On another cardboard sheet, draw one 7- X 10-inch rectangle and cut out. Outline rectangle 3 more times on cardboard sheets and cut out, making 4 foundation rectangles. Draw one 6- X 9-inch rectangle on cardboard sheet and cut out, making roof template. Draw one 7- X 4-inch rectangle on cardboard sheet and cut out, making side wall template. Cut out 2 (1 1/2-inch) squares for windows.
• To make the template for the front and back of the house, draw a 4- X 5-inch rectangle on cardboard sheet, then use the 5-inch side of the rectangle as the base for a triangle with the opposite angle 4 inches away from base. To make a door, cut a 1 1/2- X 2 3/4-inch rectangle in the center of the opposite 5-inch side of rectangle.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Roll out 1 dough piece (keep remaining dough refrigerated) between two 15-inch-long sheets of parchment to scant 1/4-inch rectangle, turning over dough and parchment occasionally. If parchment wrinkles, peel off, smooth wrinkle and reposition parchment over dough; continue to roll out dough to required thickness.
• Roof:
• To make roof, place cardboard roof template atop parchment. Using small sharp knife, cut around template through top sheet of parchment to make 6x9-inch rectangle. Peel top parchment off dough.
• Pull away excess dough from around the rectangle. Slide dough rectangle on its bottom parchment onto heavy large baking sheet. Gather dough scraps; wrap in plastic and refrigerate.
• Bake rectangle until dry looking, firm to touch in center and just beginning to darken around edges, about 13 minutes. Slide parchment with rectangle onto rack and cool completely. Rinse baking sheet under cold water to cool; wipe dry.
• Walls:
• Repeat rolling, cutting and baking of each remaining 5 large dough pieces, 1 piece at a time, to make second roof section, 2 side walls, front wall and back wall (cut out windows on side walls and door on front wall but not door on back wall). Gather and refrigerate dough scraps for use later and rinse baking sheet to cool each time.
• Roof tiles:
• Roll out some of reserved dough scraps between sheets of parchment to 1/8-inch thickness. Peel off top parchment. Using floured 1 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out rounds for roof tiles. Using small knife as aid, cut and pull away dough from between rounds.
• Slide parchment with cookie rounds onto cooled baking sheet. Bake cookies until dry looking and firm to touch, about 9 minutes. Slide parchment with cookies onto rack and cool cookies. Working in batches, repeat with more reserved dough to roll, cut and bake a total of 50 round cookies, gathering, wrapping and chilling any dough scraps each time.
• Door and other cutouts:
• Roll out some of reserved dough between sheets of parchment to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out 2 1/2x1 1/2-inch rectangle for front door. Using floured cookie cutters, cut out several stars, gingerbread figures, Christmas trees and other decorative shapes as desired. Using small knife as aid, pull or cut away dough from around door and between shapes. Slide parchment with cookies onto cooled baking sheet. Bake cookies until dry looking and firm to touch, about 9 minutes. Slide parchment with cookies onto rack and cool cookies completely. Remove all baked gingerbread from parchment. (All gingerbread can be prepared 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)
• Icing:
• You will prepare this recipe twice: once for assembling the gingerbread house, and again for decorating it.
• 4 large egg whites
• 7 to 7 1/2 cups powdered white sugar
• Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in medium bowl until very foamy, about 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Beat until well blended. Add remaining cups sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating until well blended after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl occasionally.
• Beat icing at high speed until very thick and stiff, about 5 minutes. (Second batch of icing will be made later.)
• Assembly of Foundation and Walls 2 pastry bags 1 1/4- to 3/8-inch diameter plain round pastry tip
• Foundation:
• Place 14-inch round cardboard base on work surface. Spoon some icing into pastry bag fitted with 1/4- to 3/8-inch diameter tip; cover icing in bowl tightly to prevent drying. Pipe a small dab of icing in center of round. Place one 7x10-inch cardboard foundation rectangle on icing; press to adhere.
• Pipe small mound of icing in center of rectangle. Place second 7x10-inch cardboard rectangle over; press to adhere. Repeat with more icing and remaining two 7x10-inch rectangles, forming the foundation for house in center of round cardboard base.
• Walls:
• Pipe thick line of icing on bottom edge of 1 side wall. Stand wall on cardboard foundation, icing side down, 1 inch in from and parallel to one long side and 2 inches in from one short side; hold for 5 minutes.
• Pipe thick line of icing onto front edge of wall. Press back edge of front wall (with door cutout) into icing on front edge of side wall. Hold pieces together for 5 minutes.
• Pipe thick line of icing on bottom edge and up front edge of second side wall. Press icing on front edge of side wall into the back edge of front wall, positioning wall parallel to first side wall. Hold for 5 minutes.
• Pipe line of icing up back edge of each side wall. Press edges of back wall (without door) into icing, forming the back of the house. Hold 5 minutes to set.
• Pipe lines of icing inside house at 4 intersections of walls, along the base and on outside at all vertical joints to reinforce.
• Pipe a thick line of icing along 1 long edge of front-door cookie. Attach cookie to left side of door opening in front wall, creating an opened front door.
• Pipe any icing left in pastry bag back into bowl of icing. Cover tightly; store at room temperature to use for decorating later. Let house stand until icing is completely dry and very hard - about 12 hours.
• Assembly of Roof and Tiles:
• 1 1/8-inch diameter plain round pastry tip 1 1/4- to 3/8-inch diameter plain round pastry tip 2 pastry bags
• Prepare a second batch of icing.
• Beat in any remaining icing from the first batch. Spoon 1 cup icing into pastry bag fitted with 1/8-inch diameter tip. Outline windows and front door decoratively. Pipe decorations on front and back walls.
• Roof:
• Spoon icing into a new pastry bag fitted with 1/4- to 3/8-inch diameter plain tip. Pipe thick line of icing down 1 diagonal edge of front wall; continue piping icing along top edge of adjoining side wall and up diagonal edge of back wall.
• Press 1 roof rectangle into icing, positioning so that top edge aligns with tops of front and back walls and lower edge overhangs side wall by about 1 1/4 inches. Hold in position for 5 minutes to set.
• Pipe additional lines of icing along roof joints inside house to reinforce.
• Pipe thick line of icing down second diagonal edge of front wall; continue piping icing along top edge of adjoining side wall and up diagonal edge of back wall. Press second roof rectangle into icing, positioning so that top edge aligns with edge of first roof rectangle and lower edge overhangs side wall by about 1 1/4 inches. Hold in position for 5 minutes to set.
• Let house stand until icing hardens, at least 3 hours.
• Cover bowl of icing and let stand at room temperature.
• Tiles:
• Spoon more icing into pastry bag fitted with 1/4- to 3/8-inch diameter plain tip. Pipe small mound of icing in center of underside of 1 round cookie. Align cookie edges flush with one bottom corner of roof; press to adhere. Repeat with about 5 more cookies to form bottom row of roof tiles, cutting end cookie to align with edge of roof.
• Pipe generous mound of icing on upper half of underside of 1 round cookie. Position cookie halfway between 2 first row cookies and overlapping them by about 3/4-inch. Press icing portion gently onto roof. Repeat with more cookies to form second row; cutting cookies to fit at each end.
• Repeat with more cookies to cover first side of roof. Attach cookies in same way on second roof rectangle.
• Using first pastry bag fitted with 1/8-inch-diameter tip, outline the bottom halves and cut edges of roof tiles with icing.
• Decorations:
• 12 hard red-and-white striped peppermint candies, cut in half with serrated knife
• 4 striped candy canes, cut to fit corners of house under roof
• Cinnamon imperials Chocolate nonpareils Other assorted candies
• Spoon icing into pastry bag fitted with 1/4- to 3/8-inch-diameter tip. Pipe 1 or more thick lines of frosting between roof sections at top of house, filling opening completely. Gently press cut side of peppermint candies in row into icing.
• Pipe 1 thick vertical line of icing at each corner of house; press 1 trimmed candy cane into each.
• Pipe small rounds of icing onto both sides of door for doorknobs and in center of each roof tile. Press cinnamon imperials into each round of icing.
• Using pastry bag fitted with 1/8-inch-diameter tip, pipe small mound of icing onto edge of roof.
• Slowly pull bag downward while squeezing out icing so that about 3/4- to 1-inch section of icing hangs freely. Pull bag away, leaving "icicle" hanging. Repeat at 1/4-inch intervals around roof edge. Pipe decorative line of icing along front and back eaves of roof sections.
• Outline and decorate gingerbread figures, trees, stars and other cookies. (Icing may be colored, if desired.) Using back of spoon or flexible spatula, spread icing around base of house and on cardboard base, creating "snow-covered" landscape.
• Press chocolate nonpareils into icing, making path to front door. Stand decorated cookies in icing.

GINGERBREAD HOUSE DOUGH & ICING

Steps:

• Bring sugar, molasses, ginger and cinnamon to a boil in a large saucepan. Add baking soda (it will boil up). Place chopped butter in the bottom of a large mixing bowl and pour the molasses mixture on top. Mix to combine and stir in beaten egg. Gradually add flour. Knead until thoroughly combined, adding additional flour to obtain a stiff dough as needed. Divide in two. Form into rectangle-shaped mounds and cover with plastic wrap and chill.
• Roll dough into 1/4 inch thick rectangles according to the size you need for the templates. Cut out shapes and transfer to lined or prepared or non-stick baking sheets. Bake in a moderate oven 325°F for approximately 20 minutes or until the dough turns a uniform dark golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool completely before removing from sheet pan.
• Royal Icing: Place all ingredients in clean mixing bowl. Using whisk attachment combine ingredients on low speed. Increase speed to high and whip until mixture is stiff, approximately 5 minutes. Remove from mixer. (Hand held mixer will take few minute longer).
• Remove 3/4 of the mixture to another bowl and cover bowl with a damp towel until you are ready to use icing, or icing will dry and a crust will form. Replace mixer on machine, and on low speed, add additional powdered sugar for "cement" used to hold walls up.
• Note: If worried about raw egg whites, use meringue powder available at decorating supply and specialty food stores. Replace each egg white with 1 tablespoon meringue powder and 2 tablespoons warm water. Proceed with recipe.
• Icing tip: Caramelize about 1/2-1 cup of sugar use as "superglue" to construct the house. Dries fast and hard. Use the royal icing to cover up the seams and to stick on the candy.

GINGERBREAD HOUSE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6 (fan 180C).
• Melt the butter, sugar and syrup together in a large pan. Sieve the flour, bicarbonate of soda and ground ginger together into a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour in the melted butter mixture, stir it in and, when cool enough to handle, knead to a stiff dough.
• Divide the mixture into five equally-sized pieces, cut one of these pieces in half (so you have six pieces in total). Roll each piece out on a sheet of greaseproof paper to ¾cm/⅓in thick. Using the templates, cut out the sections for the roof, sides, front and back of the house. Slide onto three baking trays lined with baking parchment.
• Using the template as a guide, a ruler and the rim of a cup, cut out the arched windows on the front and sides of the house. Using a star cutter, cut out a star in the front and back of the house. Using a knife, cut out the door on the front and back of the house and place the doors separately on the baking trays.
• Re-roll the trimmings and use to cut out the chimney pieces, three Christmas trees and three triangles to use as supports to help the trees stand upright. Bake the gingerbread for 7-8 minutes.
• Meanwhile place the boiled sweets in a pestle and mortar and crush to a rough sand texture.
• Remove the gingerbread from the oven. Trim the windows if the mixture has spread and sprinkle the crushed sweets into the windows. Return all the gingerbread to the oven and continue to cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the sweets have melted and the gingerbread is firm. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for a few minutes, then trim around the templates again to give clean, sharp edges. Leave to cool completely.
• For the icing, whisk the egg whites in a large bowl until frothy. Using a wooden spoon or a hand-held electric mixer on slow speed, add the icing sugar a tablespoonful at a time. Stir in the lemon juice and beat the icing until it is very stiff and white and stands up in peaks. Cover the surface with a damp cloth if not using immediately.
• Spoon a little of the icing into a piping bag fitted with a medium plain nozzle. Pipe blobs of icing on the back of each chocolate button and stick, overlapping onto the two roof sections, to create a tile effect. Transfer some icing to another piping bag fitted with a small plain nozzle and pipe frames around the windows, doors and stars to decorate. Spoon six tablespoons of the icing over the cake board and, using a palette knife, spread the icing to cover the board in a thick snow effect which will create a base to stick the house on to.
• Pipe some icing along the wall edges and join the house together on the iced cake board. Leave the icing to dry and harden for a minimum of 4 hours, but preferably overnight.
• Once dry, place two night-lights inside the house before attaching the roof.
• Cut the pointed ends of the cocktail sticks into 1cm/½in pieces (you should have 12 small pointed pieces). Push the blunt end of the cocktail stick pieces into the sloping edges of the front and back of the house, leaving the pointed ends sticking out to act as peg supports to attach the roof. (Remember to remove the sharp cocktail sticks from your gingerbread house before eating it, to avoid a choking hazard.) Pipe icing between the cocktail sticks and fix the two roof panels onto the house. Pipe icing around the base and edges of the chimney and attach to the roof.
• To decorate, pipe icing along the apex and edges of the roof to look like snow and icicles. Stick the front door in place with icing. Cut the back door into three pieces to use as props to keep the trees upright. Decorate the Christmas trees with piped icing and fix them onto the cake board with icing and gingerbread props. Dust the roof with icing sugar and light the night lights using a candle lighter through the open back door. Do not leave the candles lit unattended, and it is best not to burn the candles inside the house for longer than 15 minutes or they may singe the inside of the roof and start to melt the chocolate buttons.

GINGERBREAD TRAIN - WORKS WELL WITH A GINGERBREAD HOUSE.

Steps:

• Melt the butter, add golden syrup and 2 drops of vanilla.
• Stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and egg.
• Add the flour, seived, bit by bit. When it starts to become a very stiff mixture you may find it easier to use your hands. Keep adding flour until the dough is ready to be handled.
• Sprinkle flour over your work space and roll out the dough to about 1/2 inch thickness.
• Cut out your train shape. (Tip: draw onnto card and use as template) you do't need to add wheels so a smaller rectangle on top of another rectacle is sufficient.
• Cut out your carriages.
• Bake these on a greased tray with space in between as they will expand. Bake for approx 10 minutes. Until edges are golden. Remove and cool on wire rack.
• Make thick icing and spread along your plate/tray/serving platter. This will hold the train in place.
• Place the train into the icing and add the wine gums for wheels.
• Prepare 3 smaller amounts of icing in seperate bowls, with a lighter consistancy and add colorings.This is for decorating the tops of your carriages with cargo, or adding icing letters.
• Decorate the train, platter, icing etc however you like with spinkles, silver balls etc.

GINGERBREAD HOUSE

Steps:

• Gingerbread House: In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, molasses, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and baking soda together until the mixture is smooth. Blend in the flour and water to make a stiff dough. Chill at least 30 minutes or until firm.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Cut out the following paper patterns for the gingerbread house template: Two rectangles, 3 by 5 inches, to make the front and back of the house. Two rectangles, 3 by 5 1/2 inches for the roof. Two pieces for the ends of the house, 3 inches wide at the base, 3 inches to the roof line, and slanted to a peak 5 1/2 inches from the bottom. Four smaller rectangles, 1 1/2 by 1 inch for the roof and sides of the entryway. And one piece, 2 inches wide at the base, 1 1/2 inches to the roof line, and slanted to a peak 2 1/2 inches from the bottom for the front of the entryway.
• Roll gingerbread dough out to edges on a large, rimless cookie sheet. Place paper patterns onto the rolled out dough. With a sharp, straight edged knife, cut around each of the pieces, but leave pieces in place.
• Bake at 375 degrees F for about 15 minutes until dough feels firm.
• Place patterns on top of the gingerbread again and trim shapes, cutting edges with a straight-edged sharp knife. Leave to cool on baking sheet.
• Place royal icing into pastry bag with a writing tip and press out to decorate individual parts of house, piping on decorations, windows, door, etc., as desired. Let dry until hardened.
• Glue sides, front and back of house together at corners using royal icing. Place an object against the pieces to prop up until icing is dry (it only takes a few minutes).
• Glue the two roof pieces to the pitched roofline of the house. Then, similarly, glue the sides and roof of the entryway together with icing. Attach the entryway to the front of the house.
• Continue decorating the house, gluing on gumdrops, licorice and peppermint, as desired.
• Mix all of the ingredients together using an electric hand mixer, until the icing is smooth and thin enough to be pressed through a pastry bag with a writing tip. Add more lemon juice, if necessary.

GINGERBREAD FOR A GINGERBREAD HOUSE

Steps:

• Make the gingerbread dough: Sift together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, cloves and salt into a large bowl. Set aside.
• Combine the butter, shortening, brown sugar and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the egg, molasses and vanilla and beat on medium until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the sifted flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined into a smooth dough, about 1 minute. Form the dough into a flat square, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until just firm, about 2 hours and up to overnight.
• Meanwhile, make templates for a gingerbread house. Gather several sheets of stiff paper; a manila folder works well. For the wall panels, cut a rectangle that measures 4 by 7 inches. For the front and back panels of a house with a peaked roof, cut a template that is 6 inches wide at the base, 4 inches to the roofline and 4 1/2 inches slanted to a peak. The template for the roof panels should measure 4 1/2 by 8 inches.
• Roll and cut the gingerbread: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper. Unwrap the dough and cut into 3 equal pieces (a pizza wheel is handy for this). Working with one piece of dough at a time and keeping the other pieces refrigerated, roll the dough into a rectangle 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Using the templates, cut out the front and back of the house and remove the scraps around the cutouts. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough, cutting out 2 roof pieces and 2 side pieces. (If the dough gets too soft while rolling, return it to the refrigerator for 15 minutes before proceeding.) Discard the dough scraps or reroll to make cookies. Chill the dough pieces on the baking sheets for 15 minutes.
• Bake the gingerbread: Bake the dough pieces until crisp almost all the way through (the very center will still be a little soft), 30 to 35 minutes. Cool the pans 10 minutes on a rack, then remove the house pieces to the rack to cool completely. Assemble and decorate the gingerbread panels as desired.