Course: Main
Servings: 1 house
Prep Time: 16 hours
Cook Time: 2 hours
Ingredients:
- Shetland eggs - 2 Large
- Caster sugar - 200 grams
- Treacle - 250 grams
- Shetland butter - 125 grams
- Freshly ground black pepper - 1 tsp
- Ground ginger - 1 tsp
- Ground cinnamon - 1 tsp
- Ground cloves - 1 tsp
- Shetland seaweed - 1 tsp (dried and crumbled)
- Bicarbonate of soda - 1/2 tsp
- Plain flour - 600 grams
- Icing sugar - 500 grams
- Egg whites - 4
Instructions:
- Whisk the eggs and sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Gently melt butter and treacle together in a small saucepan. Allow the mixture to cool slightly before adding to the egg and sugar mixture.
- Sift together the spices, seaweed, bicarbonate of soda and the flour.
- Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a wooden spoon to make a dough. Knead briefly until smooth.
- Cut dough into quarters and wrap in clingfilm. Chill overnight in the refrigerator.
- Preheat oven to 200 C.
- Roll dough out on a floured board until 3 mm thick.
- Using a paper template cut out the walls, ceiling, etc. Remember to cut out the centres of the windows! (Alternatively, just cut out with Christmas cookie cutters)
- Place on baking paper and bake for 10-12 minutes.
- Re-roll the leftover bits and refrigerate the dough when it is not being used.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Leave the baking paper on until the gingerbread is cool.
- To prepare the royal icing, whisk the egg whites until frothy.
- Sieve over the icing sugar and beat, continually, for at least five minutes, or until the icing forms stiff peaks.
- Decorate as desired. It is easier to decorate the parts prior to assembly. Leave to dry overnight and assemble the next day.