Gingerbread house fall down

[xiphias]

So, I've been making a gingerbread house. It's nifty, except for the part where it falls over every time I try to glue the roof on. I think I'm about to give up, especially as Lis appears to be of the opinion that, if we DON'T build the house, she can eat it NOW, while, if we DO build it, she doesn't get to eat it until late January or early February.

Comments

[cogitationitis.livejournal.com]

First, use royal icing. It's much like regular icing, but it has egg whites in it. Second, let the walls dry before adding the roof.

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

We are using royal icing, and I let the walls dry for about three hours before adding the roof. Then the whole thing fell apart like a gas explosion.

[jehanna.livejournal.com]

How thick are the walls relative to the roof? And do you have extra gingerbread pieces or anything you can use inside to help provide structural integrity?

I had to deal with all these kinds of issues when doing pastillage projects in pastry class, so I feel your pain.

[sethg]

I have a copy of the tractate of the Gemara that discusses exactly how to build a gingerbread house...

[felis-sidus.livejournal.com]

Your Royal Icing recipe does include cream of tartar and lots of confectioners' sugar, doesn't it? If so, try adding more confectioners' sugar and using lots of mortar. The only time I assembled a gingerbread house was at the Coy's many years ago. I thought we had to let the mortar dry overnight, but all the recipes I can find say that the frosting should dry in 15 to 20 minutes. Good luck!

Oh, BTW, if Lis doesn't get to eat the house within a couple of days, it's likely to have acquired authentic brick-like qualities. Eating it in January or February could be difficult.

[king-tirian.livejournal.com]

Seems like you could build some rafters, or some gingerbread flying buttresses.

Suddenly I am reminded of the Simpson's retelling of Hansel and Gretel. "You fool! That was a load-bearing candy cane!"

[rebmommy.livejournal.com]

Well - I worked on it some more after you went home. Can't wait to show it to you tomorrow at Nonny and Papa's. I hope you like how it came out.

[deerdancer22.livejournal.com]

I saved a magazine, I can't find now - it might have been Dec. Martha Stewart - that had the best designs for gingerbread houses. It had suggestions like using candy cigarettses for a fence around the yard. I got all excited for next year when Rob will be able to have his kids and I can do a gingerbread house with kids. I should find the magazine by then.

[cheshyre]

I had the idea to use Tootsie rolls as a logpile (since the house pattern included a chimney).

I wanted to use chocolate NECCO wafers (they sell packages of just the chocolate-flavored ones) as roof tiles, but the CVS didn't have those in stock. Also, the gumdrop-like spearmint leaves make good foliage.

[rebmommy.livejournal.com]

Hey, Xiphias - see my post about our gingerbread house. It was fun cooking with you.