Gingerbread Houses - Pictures

[Domestic Goddess]

Lumiere - I'm a regular reader of that food blog you posted. I take my hat off to my fellow countryman who aims to bring the best in the preparation of his food, setting, etc. Go Marketman!

[filipe]

I have never done one nor ate one, as we have no gingerbread house traditions here in Portugal. Anyway I'm trying it for the first time this week as I've bought one ready to assemble gingerbread house at IKEA (and no, this is not a joke!) I hope to do something really kitsch. Do you think buttercream will work for gluing the pieces?

[alanamoana]

I have never done one nor ate one, as we have no gingerbread house traditions here in Portugal. Anyway I'm trying it for the first time this week as I've bought one ready to assemble gingerbread house at IKEA (and no, this is not a joke!) I hope to do something really kitsch. Do you think buttercream will work for gluing the pieces?

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filipe, buttercream will probably be too soft and won't set up enough to use as glue. the standard "glue" is royal icing. powdered sugar, a few drops of lemon juice and egg whites. a couple of egg whites to a pound of powdered sugar. after it is mixed, either thin it out or thicken it with more egg whites or sugar. it needs to be pretty thick.

[Gary]

Those are beautiful! Gary, what is your snow made out of?

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The fluffy "snow" at the base of the display is called polyester fiberfill. It is the stuffing used for stuffed animals or pillows. It is from JoAnn Fabrics (craft store) and is called "Soft - n - Crafty". It is made by Fairfield. The Fairfield website is www.poly-fil.com.

The snow on top of the houses is just more royal icing. I dragged it down the edges of the roof, trying to make an icicle effect.

Good luck to those making gingerbread houses these last few days before Christmas. Just remember... my chimneys were attached with a hot glue gun then frosted over the top. You gotta pick your battles and that's where I drew the line. Royal icing is VERY DIFFICULT to work with on an angled surface. It is OK for attaching flat things to one another because it will have time to "set". I didn't plan on eating this display so the glue issue wasn't a factor.

Happy gingerbreading everyone!!

Gary

[natasha1270]

Beautiful houses everyone!

I hope it is ok to post this here as it is not my creation... last year we spent Christmas in Maui and I took these pictures of the hotel's gorgeous gingerbread house:

My own attempts have been more along the lines of kit houses but I hope to find time some day/week to design one from start to finish. Thanks for the inspiration!

N.

[patsikes]

My wife and I have been spending most of our weekends this month at Disney World. They really do Christmas up right.

You should see all the gingerbread houses and chocolate sculptures. Most of the higher end resorts do something.

I can post some photos tonight if anyone is interested.

[tim]

Hi all,

My wife has makes over 30 gingerbread houses every year. Everything is edible and usually good tasting. She refuses to use supporting wood or foam board.

I get involved with design and materials. This year she worked with isomalt for the first time. Next year it might be time for pastillage.

This house looks pretty nice. I am proud of her.

Tim

[K8memphis]

Wow, it's awesome. Beautiful work! Love the window, conservatory kinda stuff.

[maggie]

That's beautiful! Yeah, I love the conservatory, too!

Our village was done on time this year! on the 1st, but I haven't downloaded the photos yet. I'll try to get to that this week. Anyone have new ones for this year?

[Megan Blocker]

Wow, Tim - beautiful! Is that a mini version of your house? It's wonderful. I'd like to shrink down and live in it!

[Pam R]

Here's your house ... I'd hardly call it lame! It's wonderful. (We'll work on the posting )

[Domestic Goddess]

Onetoughcookie, my kids and I are loving the animals around your gingerbread house. It's wonderful! Thank you for sharing your beautiful creation and for Pam for helping post the picture.

[onetoughcookie]

Thanks,Pam, for actually getting the picture on, and thanks for the compliment, Domestic Goddess.

I probably wrote it earlier, but my piece was inspired by the movie "Marie Antoinette", which I absolutely adored. I thought it would be cute to put my dog (a Papillon) in this fantasy version

of Marie Antoinette's Le Petit Trianon. Although architecturally, the piece wasn't that complicated,

it took hours of work for me. The front piece was actually bigger than the other 3 sides, so I had

to build it on a piece of styrofoam to create the appearance of it being built into a berm.

Then I used cookie cutters to trace shapes of what would be the grass gardens. And, the candy store people loved me...all those jelly beans for the cobblestones.

Anyway, it was my first gbh, and I have a newfound respect for them and the people who do them.

[K8memphis]

I haven't seen the movie but your house rocks!!!

It's very advanced for a first house I think.

I love those kinda cookies.

Beautiful workmanship.

Geez, those side pieces are curved???

Yes very advanced.

Oh, I love the monkey I love the monkey!!!

Edited December 21, 2006 by K8memphis (log)

[patsikes]

Here are two photos. They arn't great as they are from my cell phone. I have some from Disney's Boardwalk Resort on my camera at home...I will try to add them soon.

Pinocchio Gingerbread and Chocolate sculpture at Disney's Contemporary Resort

My wife Stephanie standing in front of the giant Gingerbread house at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort. They actually have a store inside the gingerbread house that they sell cookies and "mini" versions of the house.

[get in my belly]

Hi all,

My wife has makes over 30 gingerbread houses every year.  Everything is edible and usually good tasting.  She refuses to use supporting wood or foam board.

I get involved with design and materials.  This year she worked with isomalt for the first time.  Next year it might be time for pastillage.

This house looks pretty nice.  I am proud of her.

Tim

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Thats amazing art work ....really beautiful.

[lenabo]

Guys, houses are great, great! I am amaized!

That's my houses. They are not for Christmas (we have no the tradition here to make hristmas gingerbread houses), they are for people who had house-warming.

[kathryn sossen]

I love this thread- am new to these boards but I hope this thread is around next year. Great houses. I did a halloween house this year- unfortunately no pics. Maybe a Valentines house? Could be cute.

[K8memphis]

Your houses are gorgeous, Bo!!!!

[Desiderio]

Beautifull , gourgous works!!! Thank you for posting.

[tim]

Hi,

It is gingerbread house season and my wife, Lib and daughter-in-law, Yvette combined to make Thomas the Tank at Santa's Workshop.

This is Thomas' train car filled with handmade fondant toys.

This is an elf sleeping at the top of Santa's Workshop.

Last year my wife used isomalt, imported from France to make a greenhouse. I have been telling friend that this year we imported the blue fondant from China. That was the only source that contained the authentic amount of lead.

I hope you enjoy the pictures.

Tim

[tim]

Hi,

Another gingerbread house with nice details:

The back side has an isomalt atrium with copper roof.

My wife likes thin gingerbread. It glows at night.

Tim

[Pam R]

The work on this topic is truly amazing. I can't believe all of the details that go into the houses.

How long does it take to put one together, on average?

[Toliver]

The Red Envelope website is selling a modern gingerbread house.

While it's an interesting spin off the usual gingerbread house, the paucity of candy decorations makes me think these modern gingerbread house makers don't have kids.

That expansive roof could use a nice layer of Necco wafers.

[juliachildish]

Here is my first ever gingerbread house!

It's not much, and also the back looks better than the front (but unfortunately I can't find a picture of it), but I had a lot of fun putting it together. It's supposed to be a model of the co-op I live in at school-it was the head of the table at this big wine and cheese feast we had. Note the igloo and the pond (and the huuuuge wheel of blue cheese just behind it)!

After attempting this, I have a new respect for those of you who make such intricate and professional-looking houses. It's so difficult!