Gingerbread Bakery (Dollhouse Style)

This gingerbread bakery has an open concept for the back side, just like a toy dollhouse and it glows in the dark as it has 2 battery operated lights :)

Step 1: Gingerbread House Dough

This is a fairly big gingerbread house, of 30 cm x 30 cm while the base board itself is 60 cm x 45 cm. You may need to double the recipe, see NOTE.

This recipe is also super good for gingerbread thins/cut outs (cookies)

1 c shortening

1 c sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/4 molasses (fancy, dark, blackstrap, cooking, etc, whichever is fine)

5 1/2 c flour

2 tsp ginger

1 tsp each BSoda, salt, cloves and cinnamon

Mix dry ingredients

Beat shortening, sugar, eggs and molasses until well combined then beat in dry ingredients

Knead dough on working board then divide into two portions

Flatten each portion into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 2 h

Step 2: Decorations and Glue

Everything is edible for this gingerbread house (at least the bakery itself and inside).

Decorations are made of fondant, colored using either gel or liquid food coloring and decorated with sprinkles and dragees. They are in the form of cakes, pastries, and breads, dead trees, wreath on the door, garland on roof, and mushrooms.

Tables, sugar and flour sacks, Christmas trees, stockings, woods, logs, steps, bells, floor, and outside fire place, are made of gingerbread clay, colored with edible food coloring

Inside fire place is made of rice krispies treats while the decorations are made of gingerbread clay and fondant, colored with edible food coloring. Not pictured, on top of the fire place I glued real candles.

Most of decorations are molded using mold or cut with template/pattern that I drew and traced on hard paper

The snow is unsweetened coconut, however the snowmen are actually for Christmas tree ornament, the only non edible decorations :)

Fondant

1 bag of mini marshmallow (454 g)

750 g icing sugar

2 tbsp water shortening

Mix marshmallow with water, melt in microwave in 30 seconds interval until totally melted

Add in icing sugar, stir

Dump on greased working board and knead until elastic and smooth, wrap with plastic cling and let rest overnight at room temperature before using

Gingerbread Clay

2 C BSoda

1 C Corn Starch

1 1/2 C Water

Cinnamon, ginger, and clove spices to color and scent (use more cinnamon than the other spices), 2 tsp each at least

Mix all ingredients in a pot and stir over medium heat continuously until clay like consistency (like mashed potatoes).

Take off from heat and cover with damp towel until cool enough to knead.

Knead and mold/cut as you pleased

Edible Glue/Royal Icing

3 oz pasteurized egg whites from carton

1 tsp vanilla/lemon extract

4 c icing sugar

Beat egg whites and extract until frothy then beat in icing sugar gradually until well combined and shiny, on low speed

Turn up speed to high and beat until firm peaks

Store in rubbermaid or similar container, do not expose to air or it will be dry

Step 3: Baking the Gingerbread

Prepare a design, trace/draw on hard paper, cut. This will be your template.

Take out a dough from fridge and roll flat between two parchment paper.

Place your template on dough, cut and place dough on baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper

Bake on 325 F for 12-15 mins until golden and firm to the touch

Transfer to rack and let cool completely

Repeat step for the other disk, for other pieces needed.

Step 4: Building Your Gingerbread House

To glue pieces, either building itself or decoration, you will need support. Use glasses, vases, boxes, etc.

Gingerbread pieces/cookies for gingerbread house requires a week at least to firm up after baked, dried up after being glued. This will resulted in strong standing building. Some people make their gingerbread house a month or two in advance even.

For window, I glued gelatin sheet, so they are see through, instead melting candies.

On the inside window pane, the top parts, I sticky-taped a battery operated light on each. And on these windows, I showcased tiered cakes and pastries. The lights added extra touch for sure IMO!

And because this is a dollhouse type gingerbread house, the wall on the back is open, thus I glued all decorations before adding roof.

Now for the roof. They are using wafer sheets instead gingerbread cookies. You can use gingerbread cookies obv. so here is the NOTE: double the recipe as the one I typed is only enough for front wall and sides, that is why the floor of the house is made of gingerbread clay instead cookie :) But of course, this is depending the size of your gingerbread building

Start decorating!

Glue roof to structures with royal icing. Spread royal icing on board and cover with coconut. Glue outside decorations same as inside, with royal icing that is. Make royal icing drizzled here and there as snow. Glue garland on roof also with royal icing. I also added a little cotton on the outside fire place (chimney) to create a "smoke".

Basically decorate as you wish and have fun :)

Step 5: Lighted Gingerbread Bakery

I really enjoyed making this dollhouse type gingerbread and my sons were amazed by it. But to be honest, there was an oops! After 2 1/2 days of letting the glue dry, only then I noticed that I did not stand one of the side wall nicely :-p so one isn't straight haha Ah well, mommy was having a brain fart ;-)

I placed this gingerbread on cake turntable, so it's easier for everyone to view front and back.

Thanks for looking!