2006 and 2007 Gingerbread House and the Big Bad Wolf - one side folded in on us in transport from our house to the "contest" site. I know we have pictures somewhere, but I'll let you imagine what it looked like.
2008 Gingerbread Castle (we won an award for this one)
The "part" that made this one a winner isn't visible from this picture - we made indented lines to make it look like the castle was made of bricks and stones. We also had fun with the candy moat, the well with blue frosting water, and the candy stone paving inside the castle. It took 12 hours to make this particular castle, and my husband was the master chef/engineer.
2009 Gingerbread Village
Faster, easier, and still satisfying. Only 6 hours of preparation, baking, setting up and decorating.
2010 The Dawn Treader . . .our most ambitious project ever. We did get the Dragon-head mast cookie piece attached for a few minutes - but I can't seem to find the picture. And I think by that time the mast had broken off. At one point we just filled the deck with decorated gingerbread people, and then started eating.
We spent at least 12 hours on this thing, and our hopes were dashed repeatedly as one part or another fell apart. We decided not to make a boat again . . . ever.
Gingerbread 2011 Plan - Gingerbread Treehouse Village - three Gingerbread tree-houses, a zipline, and a swaying bridge. Note: this is the plan. Measurements, diagrams, and template patterns have been made. Dough is being rolled, cut and baked. Ideas for a dental string zipline, and a swaying bridge of fruit leather are planned.
Will it work? Will it stand up?
Will we actually get it together before Christmas?
I'll keep you posted, and I'll even take pictures - even if it's a disaster that just gets eaten up.
Note: All our gingerbread houses are homemade, gluten-free, corn-free, and rice-free. Part of the challenge is making it all work with interesting ingredients.
Do you have any ambitious cooking plans for Christmas?
Such talent! I like baking cookies, but I've never attempted a gingerbread house.
ReplyDeleteYou made all of those????????? Whoa!
ReplyDeleteThe Dawn Treader - now that's cool.
My ambitious cooking plans - eat what's put before me on Christmas Day!
Susan - Thanks! It's a whole family effort - our daughters come up with an idea/dream, my husband engineers a plan and measures out templates, I make the dough, and then we all roll, cut, and bake the pieces. Then my husband makes them stick together with special "glue" icing (it's barely edible), and we help him with that, and then we all decorate it.
ReplyDeleteAlex - Not just me, my husband and daughters do a huge amount of the work involved too. The Dawn Treader was cool, but really tough. It was a big dream. Have fun eating on Christmas day!!!
So cute! I am amazed at the talent you guys have. Can't wait to see this year's pictures. Hope you had a wonderful Christmas.
ReplyDeleteAngie - Thanks!
ReplyDelete