Anyone here into Gingerbread Houses??

[LJC1861]

I just got myself accepted into the National Gingerbread House Competition at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville NC. I have only everr made small gingerbread houses, but I do love to bake and create.

Anyone else into gingerbread? Competing? creating? Just trying to make one? If so lets get some discussion going....for moral support and help if for nothing else!

Linda

[lewdyan1]

We did one last year, just for fun...it was funny to see how pink my DD made it. I would love to see pictures of yours!:)

[ddavis860]

Cool Linda, congrats on being accepted! I've only done ones from a kit. When is the competition? How big is your house going to be? How long do you have to make it? Did you do your prototype yet?

Pics...we need to see pics.....we are very visual around here :rotfl:

[logan&tylersmama]

is it still at the bilitmore? i have seen that compition on the food network on TV -
good luck -
do you have a theme? cant wait to hear how you do
we make gingerbread houses every year - but they are ALWAYS from kits and the kids do most of the decorating - they each make their own
jennifer

[LJC1861]

I found out yesterday afternoon and the judging is on November 17th. I need to have the completed house in the ballrooom at the Grove Park Inn no later than 9 a.m. that morning. That gives me just a little over 3 weeks. The structure ( it is not a house in the traditional sense) right now is 15 inches high 11 inches wide and 20 inches long. It has to be a maximum of 2 ft. square, and that includes the 3/4 inch plywood base. Everything has to be edible, and that includes any internal support. I have made figures before, but they have all had dowels inside. I now have to figure out something else to give 2 of my figures some support. I am thinking about pretzels perhaps......

I have had a design running around my head for over a year now and I made my cardboard model last night. I think it will work, even though several people have told me that this design is too ambitious for my first attempt. I don't want to reveal the design just yet.....in case I can't get it to work, I can save it for next year. I promise though, to take pictures as I go along and when it is further along to post pics of the entire process.

I am going shopping for materials tomorrow and will start baking and figure making this weekend. I have no doubt that how ever it turns out, and whatever place I come in, it will be a blast and it is something I have always wanted to do.

Linda

[PrincessNancy96]

Good luck~~~ Can't wait to see what you come up with..

My first thought for getting the internal structure to stand was also pretzels!!! :)

[LJC1861]

The internal structure should be no problem....smaller boxes on top of flat pieces. This particular piece will need more external support in the form of columns and rails. It will make more sense when I post a picture.

What I will say is that I am taking my inspiration from something at WDW, but it is not one of the major park icons....and I may even include a hidden Mickey in the finished piece.

Linda

[PrincessNancy96]

LOL!!! Perfect!!! :)

[rlovew]

Good luck with it. I have made gingerbread houses from kits before but not from scratch. I would love to see you finished product though.

Rebecca

[party of 3]

that sounds like a lot of fun. we do them every year but just the kits kind. we do gingerbread men and ladies too! there is a place down the street that you buy them frozen and just bake them. the prob is that you have to buy 100 of them. so i'm always looking for places to donate the rest.

[Raenstoirm]

Candy canes and penny sticks work wonders for support since they really don't break like pretzels do. For columns you can icing a few penny sticks together and then icing the whole thing to make it uniform.

I am no expert by any means, but i do one every year and I do have a few "tricks" to getting it to work! ;)

My real issue is always getting the bread itself to bake uniform. It is slightly uneven every time and so the house is never really square. :rotfl2:

For all those near PA, Peddlers Village used to (and I presume still does) have an AWESOME gingerbread house display every year.

[LJC1861]

Thanks for the advice, I will take anything that I can get.

I am a bit worried about the gingerbread not baking evenly. I am hoping that with some careful filing and the use of a level my structure should be fairly level. I have 3 large pieces that will be horizontal rather than vertical, so the chance of them bending might be lessened. The bottom layer will be well supported underneath by smaller beams. The weight on top of the large pieces is evenly distributed so that it should also be okay. The higher the level, the lighter it is.

I will look at candy sticks when I am out and about today.

Linda

[Lisa]

Sounds like great fun. Keep us posted and take tons of pics.

Can we vote for you?! We are in your corner!:thumbsup2

[LJC1861]

Thanks! I wish you all could vote for me. The judging is done by a bunch of folks including Aaron Morgan, the Pastry Chef at the resort, a few Food Network people, Colette Peters, owner of Colette's Cakes in NYC and one of the most famous cake decorators there is, Jill Cordes, and several others.

Judging takes place during the day on Nov 17, and the award ceremony is later that evening.

Linda

[budmonster]

I love watching that competion on TV, best of luck to you. Sending some pixie dust your way. pixiedust: pixiedust: pixiedust: pixiedust:

[LJC1861]

Okay, I think I am ready to reveal my idea, because I really think it is going to work in the way I imagine it. I am going to be making a replica of the paddleboat in Liberty Square in Walt Disney World. There is a great picture of it on Wikipedia, that is where I am taking my inspiration.

So far my structure has all the decks that the picture does and I have a good idea about what I am going to use for supports, railings and the paddle wheel. I am going to include at least one hidden Mickey somewhere in the design.

So far the cardboard model is holding up really well, and it seems structurally sound, so I think it will work in gingerbread.

What do you all think???

Linda

[PrincessNancy96]

I can't wait to see it!!! LOVE the idea!!!!!!! The photos will be spectacular!!!!

[Raenstoirm]

Awesome! Cant wait to see it!

[Lisa]

Are you going to use graham crackers for the paddle? I can't wait to see the finished project.

[LJC1861]

No, I will be using Stroepwaffle cookies with a hole in the middle and sticks of gum in between them to create the paddle.

Linda

[rlovew]

Sounds very cool!!! I look forward to seeing pictures.

Rebecca