Icing, Frosting, and Fondant

Royal Icing makes a fine glue for holding the house together, can be spread or piped on for decoration, and can be colored any shade you wish. But this icing is made with raw eggs, and it should not be eaten.

Almost Buttercream Frosting is the frosting we all grew up on — spreadable and edible. Use it to assemble and decorate gingerbread works that are to be eaten. It can be used as paint, to pipe on fancy accents and decorations, and as glue, to hold pieces together.

Don’t use both frosting and icing on your gingerbread house — the colors may bleed from one to the other.

Fondant makes an edible modeling clay for all kinds of special effects. Use it just as you would sculptor’s clay to create accent pieces, such as cups and saucers, candlesticks, decorations, paving stones, flowers, braided rag rugs, etc.

ROYAL ICING

3      egg whites

1½   pounds powdered (confectioners) sugar

Food coloring, if desired

Beat egg whites until frothy. Gradually beat in sugar until icing reaches the desired consistency. The more you whip the icing the fluffier it gets. Icing that is less fluffy is best for piping out details, such as siding, roof or window designs; fluffier icing makes good glue for holding the pieces of the house together. Add food coloring a few drops at a time, or a smudge at a time if using the paste type, and mix in thoroughly. Immediately wrap and refrigerate leftovers.

Food Coloring

Food coloring comes in many shades. Liquid food coloring will thin the frosting somewhat, while paste generally does not. Pastes are available in the widest range of colors and include directions for custom mixing hundreds more.

ALMOST BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

½      cup white shortening

3½    cups powdered confectioners sugar

1       teaspoon vanilla (use clear vanilla to avoid discoloring frosting)

¼      teaspoon almond or coconut extract

3 to 4        tablespoons milk or hot water

Food coloring as desired

Beat shortening and flavoring for about one minute, then slowly add half of the sugar, mixing in well. Add half of the milk or water and mix well. Gradually beat in the rest of the sugar and just enough milk or water to reach the desired consistency, whether for piping or spreading. Stir in food coloring.

Pastry Bags and Decorative Tips

Learning to use a pastry bag and decorative tips will give you a definite advantage in whipping up all sorts of special effects. Spoon icing into the open end of the bag until it is about ⅓ to ½ full, then twist or fold down the top of the bag. Grip the closed top between your thumb and your palm with your fingers wrapped around the bag down to the pastry tip. Guide the tip while gently and smoothly applying pressure to the bag with your fingers. (Be sure the top is securely closed or the icing will come spurting out the wrong end!) It takes a little practice to get the feel of the bag and to master the hand motions. Practice on wax paper so that your experiments can be scooped up and returned to the pastry bag.

Pastry tips come in a variety of sizes and styles for creating all sorts of shapes, from seashells to straight lines, to stars and more. Some designs take more practice to master than others, but even a simple scalloped edging lends a fanciful finish to any gingerbread house. The best selections of tips are found in craft or specialty stores, but grocery stores stock disposable plastic tips in popular shapes.

Icing Tips

Make disposable piping bags by cutting brown paper bags or parchment paper into triangles. Roll into a cone with one end in a sharp point. Fold down the edge on the open end to hold the cone shape or tape together. Snip off the pointed end to leave a tiny hole (about ⅛ inch for fine lines, larger for thicker lines), fill the open end with icing, then fold the opened end down and squeeze! (Or scoop a little icing into an appropriately sized plastic zippered sandwich bag and seal. Snip off a corner and proceed.)

Handmade paper piping bags can also be fitted with cake decorating tips. Cut the end off slightly smaller than the widest part of the decorative tip. Nestle the tip down inside of the paper cone, then partially fill with icing. Fold down the top and squeeze.

The consistency of icing is critical to how it holds its form when piped. If it is too thick, stir in water, a drop or two at a time. If icing is too thin, beat in more powdered (confectioners) sugar.

Icing dries quickly, so prepare it just before you intend to use it. Store the unused portion in a bowl covered with a damp cloth while you are working. Refrigerate leftovers in a moisture-proof container.

Allow adequate drying time. If light colors (or white) are to be applied over darker colors, be sure the base color is dry before piping on the lighter color, or the colors may blend. Once you have finished icing the gingerbread, allow plenty of time for the pieces to dry before assembling the house.

FONDANT

⅓     cup light corn syrup

¼     cup white shortening

¼     teaspoon flavoring (peppermint, cherry, almond extract, etc.)

1      pound powdered (confectioners) sugar

Food coloring as desired

Beat all ingredients, except about 1 cup of the powdered sugar, in large mixing bowl at medium speed until well mixed. Liberally sprinkle a clean cutting board or countertop with powdered sugar and knead in enough to form a smooth ball that holds together, but is not sticky. Wrap in plastic until ready to sculpt.

Gingerbread Ornaments

Using cookie cutters or templates, cut out gingerbread shapes. With a plastic drinking straw pierce a hole in the center near the top of each shape, then bake and cool. Run a ribbon through the hole and tie to make a hanging loop. Decorate with icing and small candies. Hang in the tree, but don’t be surprised if a few disappear!

If you would like gingerbread ornaments to last for several seasons and be for looks only, coat with varnish or a spray craft finish. To store, pack in several layers of clear newsprint in a moisture-proof container.

Castle, see blueprints on page 23