Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary

a seasonal food & travel blog

  • Home
  • Start Here
    • As Seen…
    • PR & Disclosure
    • Privacy Policy
  • The Food
    • All Manner of Sweet Things
      • Cake
      • Chocolate
      • Cookies
      • Ice Cream
      • Squares
      • Everything Else
    • Veggie
      • Salad
      • Vegetarian
      • Vegan
    • Carbohydrates
      • Bread
      • Pasta
      • Potato
      • Gluten Free
      • Rice
      • Pastry
    • Soup
    • Hoof & Feather
      • Beef
      • Chicken
      • Lamb
      • Pork
    • Fin & Shell
    • Breakfast
  • The Adventures
    • Shetland
    • Belgium
    • England
    • France
    • Italy
    • Latvia
    • Norway
    • Scotland
    • Spain
    • The Caribbean
    • USA
  • Contact
Home » Recipe » All Manner of Sweet Things » Cake » Shetland Pepperkakehus

Shetland Pepperkakehus

Published on December 22, 2012 by Elizabeth Atia 19 Comments
Last Updated on July 22, 2017

Shetland-gingerbread-house

gingerbread4Making a gingerbread house has always been on my Christmas to-do list, but I’ve never mustered up the courage to try it until this year. I certainly didn’t think I should attempt anything as grand as James Morton’s Shetland inspired barn as seen in the Great British Bake Off. However, as I’m never one to do things by half measures this 11.5 inch tall house is what I came up with. This pepperkakehus recipe and template is adapted from one sent over from Norway by Bestemor (Norwegian for ‘Grandmother’) and I altered it slightly by doubling the quantities of spice and adding some Shetland seaweed, which shows up as lovely little green flecks throughout the dough. I couldn’t for the life of me find any sweets I liked to decorate the house with so I opted for piping Fair Isle knitting patterns in Royal icing instead. Inside there are two battery operated tea lights which make it look like there is a roaring, warming fire inside. All in all I think it’s pretty effective and I’m quite pleased how it has turned out. Not bad for a first attempt!

I’d like to take this opportunity to wish all my readers a most wonderful Christmas and may 2013 bring you health, happiness and good food! x

Shetland Pepperkakehus
by Elizabeth
A Scandinavian/Shetland inspired gingerbread house recipe.
Ingredients
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 1/2 dl caster sugar
  • 250 grams treacle
  • 125 grams butter
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp ginger
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp cloves
  • 1 tsp Shetland Seaweed Sprinkle
  • 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 600 grams plain flour
  • 500 grams icing sugar
  • 4 egg whites
Instructions
1. Whisk the eggs and sugar together until light and fluffy.
2. Gently melt butter and treacle together in a small saucepan. Allow the mixture to cool slightly before adding to the egg and sugar mixture.
3. Sift together the spices, seaweed, bicarbonate of soda and the flour.
4. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a wooden spoon to make a dough. Knead briefly until smooth.
5. Cut dough into quarters and wrap in clingfilm. Chill overnight in the refrigerator.
6. Preheat oven to 200 C.
7. Roll dough out on a floured board until 3 mm thick.
8. Using a paper template cut out the walls, ceiling, etc. Remember to cut out the centres of the windows!
9. Place on baking paper and bake for 10-12 minutes.
10. Reroll the leftover bits and refrigerate the dough when it is not being used.
11. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Leave the baking paper on until the gingerbread is cool.
12. To prepare the royal icing, whisk the egg whites until frothy.
13. Sieve over the icing sugar and beat, continually, for at least five minutes, or until the icing forms stiff peaks.
14. Decorate as desired. It is easier to decorate the parts prior to assembly. Leave to dry overnight and assemble the next day.
Details

Prep time: 16 hour Cook time: 2 hour Total time: 18 hour Yield: 1 house

gingerbread3
gingerbread2
gingerbread5
gingerbread6

As this recipe is made from scratch and contains no artificial, refined ingredients or colouring I am including it in Javelin Warrior’s Made with Love, Mondays blogger’s round up.

Made with Love Mondays, hosted by Javelin Warrior
I am also entering my Shetland pepperkakehus in Cindy’s Writings and Recipes First Annual Gingerbread House Competition – again, go and have a look-see and don’t forget to visit between the 27th-31st and vote for your top 3!

New Year’s Update: I am delighted to hear that I have won the gingerbread competition! Thank you to everyone who voted for me, I really do appreciate it. Lots of love xx

Daily Dish

The Crazy Kitchen is hosting a Blog Hop featuring gingerbread houses. Do have a look-see at the lovely creations from around the world!

Edit: In December 2013 I shared this post with Jacqueline from Tinned Tomatoes and her No Croutons Required link-up as she wants to see our festive photos, and the first photo in this post is one of my favourites I have taken over the years. 🙂

Filed Under: Cake, Cookies, Recipe

« Amigurumi Critter – Crochet Toy
Chocolate & Chestnut Torte »

Comments

  1. Laura says

    June 2, 2014 at 6:51 pm

    Having followed your blog since summer 2013 ish I decided to use the food festival ticket competition to nosey around your earlier recipes and this one is particularly amazing! So intricate and beautiful – I wish I had that skill with a piping bag!

    Reply
    • Elizabeth says

      June 3, 2014 at 2:07 pm

      I didn’t know I could do it either until I tried! This is my very first (and only so far!) gingerbread house! You should give it a try, you never know what you might create 🙂

      Reply
  2. Johanna GGG says

    December 31, 2013 at 11:13 am

    A beautiful gingerbread house – I love how you did fair aisle patterns for your decorations

    Reply
  3. Kat Buckley says

    April 21, 2013 at 8:14 pm

    Wow, this is truely a work of art! Did you ever eat it?

    Reply
  4. Choclette says

    January 1, 2013 at 4:40 pm

    Not bad for a first attempt? It’s absolutely marvellous. I love the fact you’ve kept it both simple and complicated in terms of decorative additions. And I love your use of seaweed. Whatever made you think of that?

    Reply
    • Elizabeth says

      January 1, 2013 at 6:59 pm

      Thanks 🙂 I’d recently picked up a bottle of Shetland seaweed at our local wholefoods shop and the accompanying leaflet suggested adding a spoonful into cake and biscuit baking, amongst other things. I thought the addition of locally grown seaweed would make it a uniquely Shetland gingerbread house. 🙂

      Reply
  5. Marlys Folly says

    December 26, 2012 at 3:40 pm

    Beautiful house… Found your blog from Daily Dish Foodie Friends Friday when you entered this house there… I am one of the host. I did enter mine here on your page – although nothing compared to yours … This is the first year that I made a gingerbread house in many years. Newest follower. http://marlys-thisandthat.blogspot.com

    Reply
  6. Coombe Mill says

    December 25, 2012 at 10:38 pm

    That is just too perfect for words!

    Reply
  7. Emily Foran says

    December 23, 2012 at 11:13 pm

    Wow – seriously envious of your piping talent! xx

    Reply
  8. Claire V says

    December 23, 2012 at 8:11 pm

    That’s amazing! I love the piping.

    Reply
  9. Julia says

    December 21, 2012 at 8:27 am

    Amazing Elizabeth! Absolutely fabulous – will you be able to eat it?

    Reply
    • Elizabeth says

      December 21, 2012 at 8:32 am

      The children are certainly keen to try! I don’t know what happens to a gingerbread house over time – is it edible? I baked the scraps yesterday and the kids devoured them with glee after decorating them, so I know the taste is acceptable (fantastic! says the eldest).

      Reply
  10. carolefindsherwings says

    December 20, 2012 at 10:50 pm

    That is stunning! You have a very steady hand – whenever I try to pipe icing it’s all wibbly.

    Reply
  11. Javelin Warrior says

    December 20, 2012 at 11:36 pm

    Oh. OH. OHHHHH! Wow! You’ve outdone yourself and such a beautiful design. And the piped royal icing is amazing. I’m in awe of you – and your FIRST attempt, no less… Thank you so much for sharing and what a knock-out!

    Reply
  12. jenny says

    December 20, 2012 at 10:14 pm

    Oh my goodness, it’s beautiful!

    Reply
  13. Janice Pattie says

    December 20, 2012 at 9:19 pm

    Stuff James’s Shetland Barn this is outstanding! You clever thing, love the nordic decoration.

    Reply
  14. helen says

    December 20, 2012 at 8:14 pm

    omg that is AMAZING!! I would love to attempt something like that but I really don’t think I would have the patience, let alone the skill!
    Thanks for linking up.

    Reply
  15. cakesphotoslife says

    December 20, 2012 at 8:10 pm

    That’s beautiful thank you for linking please don’t forget to add it to the facebook page for a chance to win an airbrush kit from dinkydoodle designs x

    http://www.facebook.com/cakesphotoslife, good luck x

    Reply
  16. Codec says

    December 20, 2012 at 6:25 pm

    I think you’ve surpassed yourself!!!!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




About Elizabeth

Daydream adventurer. Expat Canadian. Foodie. Calls Shetland home - for now. One eye is always on the horizon. Read More…

  • E-mail
  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

SEARCH OUR WEBSITE

Foodies100 Index of UK Food Blogs
Foodies100

Connect

Daydream adventurer. Expat Canadian. Foodie. Calls Shetland home, for now. One eye is always on the horizon.

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Latest Posts

Image of two traditional British pork pies one with a slice cut out of it to show the meaty insides.
Image of large glass jar filled with peanut butter granola tied with a dark burgundy ribbon and a natural paper tag reading 'To Mum and Dad, Happy Christmas!'
Image of a square white dinner plate with lamb leg steaks, celeriac puree and red wine jus for a romantic meal in.
Image of meat barbecuing on black oil drums in the Caribbean.
Image of jewelled couscous recipe on a serving plate with Moroccan-style slow cooked lamb, hummus, flatbread and plain yoghurt.

Sustainability

This website is hosted Green - checked by thegreenwebfoundation.org

Copyright © 2021 · Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary Ltd. · Website by Callia Web