Best Of Recipes | Gingerbread Military Camp Ikea Hacks

Last flavour nosotros made this mini army camp of gingerbread houses made from a few gingerbread trace solid kits from IKEA. They were therefore fun to make, (especially melting hard candies into large windows for a brace of them), as well as loved how they turned out.  Check out how nosotros made them below.

One of our favourite vacation traditions has been making gingerbread houses.  I tried making my ain from scratch a few times, but it ever came out wonky, pieces never jibe together correct or broke.  So nosotros ever pick upwards a gingerbread trace solid kit as well as it's a fun niggling identify unit of measurement past times fourth dimension the weekend correct earlier Christmas.  It kind of makes us halt as well as merely savour the moments with all the crazy.

This yr I bought a few gingerbread trace solid kits from IKEA every bit I was wanting to create a miniature village/camp.  And as well as therefore every bit sugarplums danced inwards my caput the nighttime before, I imagined a modern version, inspired past times therefore many other gingerbread trace solid makers earlier me.  (Have y'all seen the novel candy concession at IKEA?  So much delicious traditional Swedish sweets inwards bulk? So fun)! But onto the gingerbread houses.  We made iii versions. 2 modern as well as i traditional with a niggling twist! Here's how:

The The A-Frame | Hack No. 1
Having fond memories of the A-Frame cabins of our youth,  this is in all likelihood the easiest of all of the hacks.  The hardest purpose is merely gluing them together.  Yes glue. Putting together a gingerbread trace solid using icing is the hardest part, therefore if y'all aren't going to consume it, gum gun it! You're welcome!

You volition need:
3 IKEA Gingerbread House Kit Roofs
Hard Candies (approximately v or 6)
Royal Icing to gum (or a gum gun is meliorate if y'all aren't going to consume it)
Parchment newspaper
Lighting (optional)

To Make:  First we'll hold upwards making the large "A" frame window. To outset you'll ask to suspension close v or six hard candies (like Jolly Ranchers or lifesavers) inwards a blender, until broken into pocket-size pieces. Place a slice of parchment on the bottom of a cookie sheet.  Wrap ii of the roofs with parchment as well as create an a-frame.  Fill the infinite inwards betwixt (in the "A" area, with the broken pieces of hard candies (see below).  Melt inwards a 350°F oven for approx 4-5 minutes until melted.  Careful non to permit it teach likewise hot every bit it volition outset to bubble, as well as the bubbles volition create holes inwards your window. But non to worry, if y'all cause got a few, merely popular them with a toothpick earlier they outset to cool off.  Let cool until really hard.

 Once the A-Frame window has cooled, y'all tin at nowadays take from the pan as well as outset to glue/ice it together with the roofs to create an A-Frame of course!  If y'all utilization icing, this procedure volition cause got much longer every bit you'll cause got to concur for quite a long time.  If y'all utilization a glue-gun, it merely takes a affair of v or therefore minutes, until the gum has completely dried as well as it is able to stand upwards on it's own.  Careful though every bit the hot gum tin also melt the candied window, therefore y'all kind of cause got to function fast. Once y'all identify that gum on, similar a shot connect the gingerbread roof to it.  Secure with to a greater extent than gum on both sides.  Once both sides are done, as well as therefore merely gum them to some other roof, at the base of operations to brand things actually secure.  Voila! You're done!  Decorate every bit y'all wish.  We left ours pretty plain, but intend a dollop of dripping icing about the roof-top would hold off dainty too!

The Modern | Hack No. 2
This was in all likelihood the most difficult, but yet pretty easy. It's my favourite though.  Love the machine green underneath! 

You volition need:
2 IKEA Gingerbread House Kit Roofs as well as i to a greater extent than if y'all similar i inwards the carpark expanse (as shown)
4 IKEA Gingerbread Sides

Hard Candies (approximately v or 6)
Royal Icing to gum (or a gum gun is meliorate if y'all aren't going to consume it)
Parchment newspaper
Lighting (optional)

To Make
You'll ask to brand some other candy window, this fourth dimension rectangular, the same size every bit the sides.  To exercise this, follow the directions above, solely create a rectangular infinite past times placing iv gingerbread trace solid sides onto a cookie sail (covered inwards parchment of course).  Fill the rectangular infinite with the hard candies as well as melt (as above). Once cooled as well as hardened, outset to gum i side of the window to a gingerbread roof.  Once cooled as well as secure, gum together the peak roof piece, simultaneously every bit a side gingerbread slice (which becomes the back).  The roof volition cause got a slight slant every bit the side slice volition hold upwards a chip smaller. Once secure, add together on ii side pieces to the bottom (flip the already made slice upside downward to exercise this).  Add each slice on each side.  Glue i to a greater extent than side to the back. And voila! Decorate every bit y'all wish!  We added fairy lights as well as a few licorice yule log candies from IKEA.

One-sided Roof House | Hack No. 3
This i is past times far the easiest.  Just follow the instructions on the IKEA packaging. And add together some hard candies to the windows.  See below.

You volition need
1 IKEA Gingerbread House Kit (less i roof) - which is optional
Hard Candies (approximately v or 6)
Royal Icing to gum (or a gum gun is meliorate if y'all aren't going to consume it)
Parchment newspaper
Lighting (optional)

To Make
Place the sides as well as fronts of the trace solid pieces onto a parchment covered cookie sheet.  Fill the window spaces with hard candies.  Melt inwards a 350°F oven for approx 4-5 minutes until melted.  Careful non to permit it teach likewise hot every bit it volition outset to bubble, as well as the bubbles volition create holes inwards your window. But non to worry, if y'all cause got a few, merely popular them with a toothpick earlier they outset to cool off.  Let cool until really hard. Just follow the instructions on the IKEA packaging to pose together - as well as perhaps this i y'all could utilization icing instead of the gum gun - every bit it's easier to remain together than the others.  And this could hold upwards the edible one! Decorate!

Picnic Table | Hack No. 4
This was merely a fun add together on nosotros did, but if y'all desire to brand i here's how:

You volition need
3 pieces from the chimney purpose of the IKEA gingerbread trace solid kit
1 Large Marshmallow(we used the strawberry ones from IKEA)
4 pocket-size candies (like Smarties or M+Ms)
1 Cocktail Umbrella

To Make.  For the table, create a hole inwards the middle of i of the pieces using the cocktail umbrella.  Put the marshmallow underneath the other side as well as poke the umbrella into it to secure. For the benches, gum gun ii pocket-size candies to either side underneath.  And yay! Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 gingerbread table!

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