A topsy-turvy treat

Follow the topsy-turvy gingerbread house recipe step by step.

Begin by making the structural elements of your house

– 175g honey
– 50g butter
– 50g brown sugar
– 300g flour
– 4g baking powder
– 2 teaspoons gingerbread spice mix (cinnamon, clove, ginger, etc.)

In a saucepan, bring the honey, butter and brown sugar to a boil, stirring continuously until the mixture has melted.
Allow it to completely cool, then add the flour, baking powder and spices.
Mix and knead briefly to form a dough.
Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours.
Once time has elapsed, roll out the dough to a thickness of approximately 5 mm, then cut out the structure of the house: 2 gable end walls (one 12 × 9cm rectangle stuck to one 12 × 12.4 × 12.4cm triangle), two 22 × 9cm rectangles for the side walls, two 23 × 14cm rectangles for the roof,and one 24 × 14cm rectangle for the floor.
Using the remaining dough, cut out additional elements of your choice (stars, animals, fir trees, etc.). Bake at 180°C for 10 to 15 minutes.

Build and decorate your house

– 250 g icing sugar (add more for snow)
– 1 egg white
– 5 drops of lemon juice
– Food colors and cake decorations (vermicelli, sprinkles, pearls, etc.)

Combine the icing sugar, egg white and lemon juice and blend with a spatula to obtain a fairly firm and smooth icing mixture. If the mixture is too runny, add a touch more of icing sugar. 
Divide the icing between several pots, then add the food coloring.
Transfer the icing to a piping bag with a fairly fine nozzle. 
Use the icing to glue the framework of the house together (the 2 front and back walls, the 2 gable ends and the floor), then lastly add the roof. 
Pipe the details on the house: windows on the roof, tiles on the walls, the front door at the top of the gable end wall, and perhaps an upside down cat on the roof.
Decorate the house as you wish and lastly dust it with a touch of icing sugar.