Tutorial – Haunted House Cookies

Haunted House Cookies

Trick or Treat? Make ghoulish gingerbread houses this Halloween with our Winter Village Mould!

For a plain biscuit recipe please see our ‘How to mould and bake perfect cookies’ post.

Perfect Gingerbread Recipe

We often make cookies using our moulds. They are perfect for Christmas tree decorations, gifts and wedding favours. They are also delicious. So why not treat yourself this Halloween? The secret to creating perfect gingerbread houses is to use a dough that won’t spread..

75g light brown soft sugar

2 tablespoons golden syrup

1 tablespoon black treacle (this can be substituted for a tbsp. of golden syrup to make your gingerbread lighter)

1 tablespoon water

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 rounded teaspoon ground ginger

A pinch of cloves

95g unsalted butter

250g plain flour sifted, plus a little more (if needed).

Method

Put the sugar, syrup, (treacle), water, and spices together in a large saucepan.

Bring them to boiling point, stirring all the time. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter until melted.

Next, stir in the flour gradually until you have a smooth dough – add a little more flour if you think it needs it. Knead your dough and then leave it covered in a cool place to become firm (approximately 30 minutes).

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4.

If you’re not immediately making the cookies, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate (or freeze) until you are ready to use it. Before using, bring to room temperature.

Now you are ready to mould and decorate!

Equipment

Gingerbread dough

Karen Davies Sugarcraft Winter Village Mould

Plain Flour or Corn Flour for dusting

Baking paper

White Royal icing

Black Royal Icing

No. 1.5 piping nozzle

Piping bags

Royal Icing in flooding consistency – purple, orange, yellow, dark brown, grey and any other Halloween colours you would like!

Small dish of water

Small flat paintbrush

Cocktail sticks

Instructions

Dust your Winter Village Mould with Plain Flour or Corn Flour and tap out any excess.

Take some of your cookie dough and roll into a smooth ball. Press the smoothest side down into one of the buildings. Use your fingers to push the dough into the mould until it is flat on the back and up to all of the buildings edges. Use your thumb to tear away any excess.

Turn your mould over and slowly peel the mould back until you can see the building start to fall out. Keep pulling back slowly so as not to tear any windows until your building has dropped out.

Mould as many buildings as your dough will make. Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper (you may have to bake in batches). Bake for approx. 10 – 15 minutes.

Once baked leave them to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack.

Once your cookies have cooled you can pipe over their details using a no. 1.5 piping nozzle and Black or White Royal Icing. Pipe lines along their rooves, doors, window frames and any other detail. Allow to dry.

Once dry, use small amounts of food colouring to colour different shades of royal icing. Typical Halloween colours are purple, orange, green, grey, yellow and black. You can make as many different ones as you like! Turn your royal icing to a flooding consistency by gradually adding small amount of water and mixing.

Put each icing colour into piping bags and cut a small opening at the end. Flood each building in a main colour. Use a cocktail stick or small slightly damp brush to help guide your icing all the way up to the edges of the windows, doors and edges.

Flood the rooves in a different colour. Any other leftover details such as door frames can be flooded in various colours to make them stand out. Allow all of your buildings to dry.

Once your buildings have dried, use normal consistency royal icing to pipe ghosts, bats and pumpkins on your buildings.

Happy Halloween!