Ask A Chicago Expert: Tips For Building Gingerbread Houses

'Tis the season to make holiday treats. A fun family food activity is making a gingerbread house. But a word of warning. Don't gobble up all the candy before you put some on and around the house you build. For more tips, consider those listed here offered by an executive pastry chef.

Executive Pastry Chef Yasmin Gutierrez
Foodlife at Water Tower Place and Beatrix
835 N. Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 335-3663
www.foodlifechicago.com

Gutierrez is in charge of pastry at Foodease, Foodlife and Mity Nice Grill at Water Tower Place and at Beatrix for the Lettuce Entertain You group. She has studied Culinary Arts at the Illinois Institute of Art and Chicago's French Pastry School. Yasmin specializes in cakes and cupcakes designs.

Allow Three Days For Your Gingerbread House Creation

You want your house to be strong, so it's a three-day process. The first day you bake the gingerbread house walls, roof and base. They need a day to cool and dry. The second day, you build the house using Royal Icing as glue to hold it together. Let it stand for a day before you decorate. The third day is decorate the house using the Royal Icing to glue pieces on the house.

Gather Your ingredients Ahead Of Time

The chef's creations aren't suited to a small family project, so she offers ingredients rather than specific amounts. The measurements listed here are suggestions. You will need:
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c butter
Eggs
1/4 c molasses
2 c cake flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbs ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp nutmeg, ground cloves or allspice.

Combine sugar with butter until mixture is creamy. Add eggs and molasses (and 1 tbs water if needed). Now add the dry ingredients and chill until firm. Preheat oven (depends on oven but 350 degrees is typically recommended).

Cut Into Parts Of The House And Bake

Roll out the dough. You will want a ruler and cookie cutter to make the sides, front, back, roof and chimney. Plan ahead by making paper (parchment or wax paper are good) patterns for the sections. Figure the two roof pieces about an inch longer than the sides. The base can be round, but make it larger than the house so there is room to put a snowman or Santa. With the patterns on top of the dough, cut the pieces' shapes with a cookie cutter or serrated knife. Bake until firm about 15 minutes.

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Building The House

The pieces should be ready to put together the next day. You need: Royal Icing (about 1 lb) powdered sugar and two egg whites. You can use lemon or a vanilla extract to flavor. Use a pastry bag with a tip to glue pieces together with icing on the corners, first the sides, front, back and base, then the roof followed by the chimney. The icing should be thick. Hold each section 10 seconds until firmly attached. Holding the pieces together until they set are important.

Decorating

Leave the gingerbread house to sit overnight and decorate on the third day. Look for candy at the grocery store. Jelly beans are good. You can get red, green or a mix of colors. Use the Royal Icing to glue them on. Add a snowman to the base in front. You probably can find a chocolate one wrapped in foil. You can use the rest of the Royal Icing to decorate as snow on the roof or base.

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Jodie Jacobs is a veteran journalist who loves writing about Chicago, art, theater, museums and travel. Her work can be found on Examiner.com.