How to Decorate a Gingerbread House

Bakers use gingerbread to create elaborately detailed cookie masterpieces. From the colorful candy to the sweet tasting icing, it's hard to know whether to put your gingerbread house on display or eat it. Here a few suggestions for decorating your own gingerbread house.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Pasty bag with tips
• Assorted candy

Making Royal Icing

1. Beat egg whites with a wire whisk in a large mixing bowl until soft peaks form.

2. Add cream of tartar and beat with wire whisk until the mixture stiffens.

3. Add confectioner's sugar gradually, mixing with wire whisk for 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Decorate your gingerbread house using this first batch of icing, as it sets very quickly. Additional batches of icing can be made and used one at a time, following Steps 1 and 2, until you have finished decorating. Your gingerbread house will require several batches.

Decorating the Gingerbread House

5. Pipe the icing from the pastry bag, using a round or rosette tip, onto all the seams of your gingerbread house. Allow the icing to harden for 10 minutes before moving on to the next step.

6. Decide if you want to spread icing on the entire roof, or adorn it with a lattice effect. Apply icing to the roof in a pattern.

7. Place lightweight candies on the roof's surface while the icing is still soft.

8. Decorate the front, back and sides of the gingerbread house by placing a small dab of icing on the backside of each candy piece. Press the candy gently in place on the house.

9. Display your gingerbread house, and indulge yourself with any leftover candy.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't allow children to snack on the royal icing, as it contains raw eggs.