Gingerbread Houses

by Christa Currie

Gingerbread houses are the architectural wonder of the baking world, and every year around the holidays, constructions of all shapes and sizes spring up everywhere. Some have Tootsie Roll mailboxes, shredded-wheat roofs, and gumdrop bells, while others are covered with snow and icicles and have balconies, garlands, and brightly glowing candy glass. But no matter how elaborate a house is, one doesn't have to be an expert baker (or architect) to build one. Gingerbread A Complete Guide To Baking And Decorating is for ginger-bread bakers who want to build their first or their fiftieth house. With easy-to-follow instructions, it shows beginners all the basic techniques, including how to assemble the walls and roof without breaking the gingerbread. But it also shows more advanced bakers how to illuminate their house, use a glue gun, and even give last year's house a face-lift. The whimsical, two-color drawings and patterns are a wealth of new ideas for doors, windows, wreaths, bells, mailboxes, lampposts, fences, and trees. And for those who feel the entrepreneurial urge, there's even a section on marketing, packaging, pricing, and selling gingerbread houses. With wit and humor, Christa Currie, champion gingerbread baker, makes building gingerbread houses fun for the entire family. Gingerbread Houses is the perfect stocking stuffer for the baker or architect on your Christmas list.

Genres: Christmas, Cooking, Cookbooks

128 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1994

Reviews

[Shanna Gonzalez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Among the many books about building gingerbread houses, this is the best for beginners that I have found. Christa Currie has made countless houses in varying designs, won some prizes, and started a home business selling gingerbread houses. This book lays out the basics of building this confectionary delight, with simple instructions for creating the design and recipes for the gingerbread and the royal icing (or candy glue) that holds it together. There are detailed directions for decorating houses, recommendations for preserving them from year to year, and ideas for marketing them for sale. The book is illustrated with pencil drawings, and helpful diagrams are supplied for most of the instructions.

Currie's expertise comes from enthusiasm and experience rather than gourmet training, and her practical advice (don't make the house taller than its width without additional support, for example) is perfect for the novice gingerbreader. Her writing is clear and readable, and personable without being too chatty. This is an outstanding resource for a family gingerbread project.

[Neligh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Among the advice for making chimneys is the line "If it's a little crooked, that's okay, it only adds to the charm of the house." (p.44) Among the ideas for fences she mentions "Gates are useful if you're making a pattern in your fence and don't have quite enough room for that last pattern. That's a good place for a gate!" (p.86) And her favorite place to practice piping icing? Her kids hands. This is an author who knows how to take a potentially stressful, overwhelming project and make it what it's supposed to be: pure enjoyment.

I think the use of drawings instead of photographs reflect that. Instead of a picture of perfection to be copied, she gives you loads of enchanting illustrations that get your own ideas churning. Five stars for spectacular inspiration and clear, thorough instructions.