17.05.12

There's much to love about a gingerbread house. The smell of cinnamon and ginger. Candies begging to be stolen. And the fact this holiday symbol isn't made of plastic.

But as plenty of aspiring gingerbread house builders know, many first attempts end with frustration. After painstaking work, the creations can crack, cave-in or even completely collapse.

For advice on making gingerbread houses that meet building codes, we asked those who have created some of the best known local gingerbread masterpieces. Turns out these experts have different techniques when it comes to building the best gingerbread house.

Judy Fredrick has been pastry chef for 25 years at Clasen's European Bakery in Middleton, which does a giant gingerbread house every year. She swears by melted white chocolate to adhere the pieces together.

"Royal icing breaks, but melted white chocolate is like glue," she said.

Fredrick recommends creating some kind of frame, such as a shoe box, to hold the pieces in place until everything stays together. After the pieces are firmly adhered with white chocolate, Fredrick does use royal icing to go over the seams. She uses it for decoration as well.

Source: Capital Times (blog)