A tip for "roofing" a gingerbread house

[andiesenji]

I have been going through some of my old, old recipes.  I haven't made a gingerbread house for many years but I thought I would pass along this tip.

If you want your gingerbread house to look a bit different, you can make a "thatched" roof with bite-sized shredded wheat.  The sugar-coated ones will look like snow on the roof. 

I used to make my houses with an exterior "rock" chimney and or stone "foundation", faced with Brazil nuts and macadamia nuts cut in half. 

[cookie1]

Thanks Andie. I actually saw a photo of one using shredded wheat cereal. DD decided that she didn't want 'healthy' food on ours, hence we used freckles.

Another hint I saw somewhere and one that I used was to strengthen the roof put satay sticks under it. I was a bit worried that ours may cave in but it hasn't.

[andiesenji]

Thanks Andie. I actually saw a photo of one using shredded wheat cereal. DD decided that she didn't want 'healthy' food on ours, hence we used freckles.

Another hint I saw somewhere and one that I used was to strengthen the roof put satay sticks under it. I was a bit worried that ours may cave in but it hasn't.

A lady here in town who bakes them for sale actually bakes bamboo skewers right into the "flats" which gives more support to the sides and roofs.   Her houses are very elaborate (and expensive) including Victorian style houses, Swiss chalets, "log" cabins, southern style houses with columns and verandas and famous houses.  She made one a couple of years ago that was a model of the State capitol.  I heard that the person who ordered it paid over $1100. for it.  (It was for a political fund-raising party.)

[andiesenji]

This is not a tip but a link to  a site with photos of 13 amazing Gingerbread Houses

A couple of the pages take a few seconds to load so be patient.   

[cookie1]

Andie they are amazing.

[judydawn]

They certainly are and I have just spent an hour browsing the Good Housekeeping website  Printed out a few recipes to add to my already huge pile of recipes to convert.