How To Make a Gingerbread House (Gluten-Free)

by Kate | Dec 11, 2020 | 0 comments

A step-by-step guide on how to make a gluten-free gingerbread house and a clever way to put it together without using icing or molten sugar.

Gingerbread House Recipe (Gluten-Free)

240g salted butter, softened

200g (250ml) Natura Sugars Molasses Sugar

2 large eggs

450g golden syrup

250g gluten-free flour, plus extra for rolling 

300g  gluten-free oat flour 

200g amaranth flour 

200g quinoa flour 

2 tsp xanthan gum

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

4 tsp ground ginger

2tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp ground cloves

Royal icing:

1 large egg white

300g (500ml) Natura Sugars icing sugar, sifted, plus extra for dusting

15ml (1 tbsp) lemon juice

Ribbon, to assemble

Preheat the oven to 180°C (160 fan-forced). Line two baking trays with baking paper. Combine the sugar and butter together and cream using a paddle attachment, until light and fluffy – about 8 minutes. Add the egg and golden syrup and mix well. Sieve the dry ingredients into the butter mixture and mix to form a dough. Form the dough into a disc and cover in cling wrap, refrigerate for 30 minutes. Lightly dust a clean work surface with gluten-free flour and roll out the dough to ½ cm thick.

Using this template, cut out the gingerbread house pieces and using the tip of a small piping nozzle, cut out rounds where the string will be pulled through.

Transfer to the lined baking trays. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden around the edges. Remove from the oven immediately trim the edges again incase of any spreading or stretching. Use a large plain nozzle to punch holes in the corners of the pieces for the ribbon. Allow to cool slightly on the tray before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the royal icing, whisk the egg white gently then add the icing sugar until a stiff paste forms. Add the lemon juice and stir. Add a few tsp of water while whisking until you reach a consistency that is stiff but still oozes enough to create a drip. Place in a piping bag fitted with a small plain nozzle and decorate the sides and roof of the gingerbread house. Allow to set completely – preferably a full day. 

When ready to assemble, thread the ribbon through the punched out holes and connect all the pieces together to form the house. Do the same with the roof and place the roof on top. Use a jug or jar to keep the pieces upright. 

Dust with icing sugar and set out as a delicious centrepiece to your table!

Chocolate Lamington Trifle

by Kate | Dec 5, 2020 | 1 comment

This chocolate lamington trifle is a lovely modern twist on the traditional with a layer of cherry jelly, chocolate mousse and cubes of homemade chocolate lamingtons!

CHOCOLATE LAMINGTON TRIFLE

Serves 8-10

CHERRY JELLY

500g fresh or frozen cherries, pitted

200g (250ml) white sugar

375ml water

30ml Amaretto liqueur (optional)

Juice of ½ lemon

4 x 2g gelatine leaves, soaked in cold water (or 8g gelatine powder bloomed in 60ml of the water mentioned above) 

LAMINGTON SPONGE

500ml water

250g brown sugar

100g The Kate Tin Dark Baking Chocolate Drops, chopped

120ml vegetable oil

60g The Kate Tin Cocoa Powder, sifted

2 large eggs

160g cake flour

5ml (1 tsp) baking powder

pinch of salt

5ml (1 tsp) bicarbonate of soda

200g desiccated coconut, for coating

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

250g The Kate Tin Dark Baking Chocolate Drops, melted and cooled

500ml cream, plus extra, whipped, for topping 

Fresh cherries, to garnish

METHOD

Preheat oven to 160°C (140°C fan-forced), Grease and line a 30 x 20cm baking tin with baking paper. 

To make the jelly, place the pitted cherries, sugar, water, Amaretto and lemon juice in a saucepan and simmer gently over low heat for 5 minutes. Place the mixture in a blender and blend until smooth then strain into the pot and add the soaked gelatine. Allow to dissolve then pour into a trifle dish 22cm wide and 22cm deep. Refrigerate until set. 

To make the lamingtons, place a medium-sized pot on the stove with the water along with the sugar. Stir over low heat until the sugar is dissolved and then pour over the chopped chocolate. Add the oil and stir until smooth. Whisk eggs lightly then stir in the chocolate mixture. Fold in the combined dry ingredients. Allow the mixture to stand, covered, for 1 hour. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.  Allow to cool completely. Slice the cake into 5x5cm blocks then roll into the coconut to coat. Arrange half the lamington blocks on top of the set jelly. 

To make the mousse, make sure the chocolate is cooled to room temperature.  Whip the cream to soft peak stage then gently fold it into the chocolate. Immediately pour the mousse onto the lamington layer. Top with extra whipped cream, the remaining lamingtons and fresh cherries to garnish. 

OR GET THE PRINTABLE VERSION OF THE RECIPE HERE: