Make your own Christmas gingerbread house

It’s the festive treat that’s tasty to eat and fun to bake. Juliet Sear shares her guide to making your own gingerbread house - the perfect fun family activity this Christmas.

And we’ll be doing it all live from our very own edible This Morning Gingerbread Kitchen!

Download our gingerbread house template (PDF)

Makes: 1 gingerbread house

Ingredients

400g golden syrup100ml fresh orange juice550g light muscovado sugar (or soft brown sugar)6tbsp ground ginger3 tbsp ground cinnamon600g butter4tsp bicarbonate of soda1.5kg plain flour400g Royal icing to assemble the house (follow the instructions on the packet)

A selection of sweets to decorate

*Royal icing to assemble the house

Method

Mix golden syrup, orange juice, sugar and spices in a pan and heat until all the sugar is dissolved. Do not boil the mixture but allow it to get nice and hot. Once all the liquids have melted, add the butter diced and stir until melted and amalgamated.

Add the bicarbonate of soda to the liquid and whisk with a metal whisk until fluffy and puffy and pale. Tip into the bowl of a large stand mixer and leave to cool down until the mixture is just warm.

Tip in the flour and mix with the paddle attachment until a dough is formed.

Turn the mixture out onto a large piece of cling film and wrap up and chill for at least an hour before rolling out to 5mm thick.

Once rolled out, place the dough onto a baking sheet, take your template and cut out the desired shapes.

Bake in the oven at 180c fan for about 30 minutes or until golden and hard.

To assemble the gingerbread house us stiff royal icing to stick the panels together at the edges. Stick together the sides and front and back panels of the house first using the stiff royal icing as glue. Support with tin cans while the icing sets. Leave for a couple of hours to ensure its set securely. Finish with the roof and chimney.

Decorate the house with sweets of your choice using icing to stick them onto the gingerbread house. If you want to eat the house do so within 1 week.