Sinking Gingerbread | Ask Nigella.com (2024)

FAQs

How do I stop my gingerbread from sinking? ›

You could always try rolling it in flour before adding to the mixture, helps to dry it out and stop it sinking.

Using Too Much Baking Powder or Baking Soda

One of the most common causes of sinkholes is excess leavening. That may seem counter-intuitive since leavening equals lift.

If the batter stands around for a long time then the bicarbonate of soda will have activated and expired and the gingerbread won't rise. So make sure that you heat the oven before you start to make the batter.

Your cake is often subject to sinking in the middle due to various factors, including inaccurate oven temperature, excessive or insufficient leavening agent, overmixing of the batter, or premature opening of the oven door. Moisture loss or incorrect ingredient ratios may also play a role.

Just melt the sugar in a pan over low heat. You want to allow it to turn brown, but make sure not to burn it (otherwise it won't taste so great). Then take your gingerbread house pieces, dip the edges in melted sugar and hold them together for a few seconds. That's it!

Instead, the dough is moistened with corn syrup so it bakes up nice and flat, with little to none of the puffing that steam would create. Corn syrup also keeps freshly baked gingerbread pliable and soft, allowing the warm pieces to be cut without shattering.

The Fix: Adjust the Temperature

An immediate fix is to lower your oven by a few degrees and extend the baking time. In the long-term, consider buying an oven thermometer and leaving it in your oven so you know your oven's exact temperature.

Fit Everything Together with Melted Sugar or Royal Icing

The second way is to use burnt sugar as your glue. Just melt C&H® Pure Granulated Cane Sugar in a pan on the stove, dip the gingerbread parts in and hold them together for a few seconds. Then, presto! You've created a solid house.

Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm. Or, if you plan to bake cookies immediately after making the dough, roll the dough between two pieces of parchment paper until 1/4 inch thick. Refrigerate about 15 minutes until firm.

Factor in two days when making the gingerbread dough as it needs to chill overnight. To get ahead though, the dough can be made up to two weeks in advance and kept in the fridge, just remember to take it out of the fridge half an hour or so before rolling out!

Why did my gingerbread house collapse? ›

“Most gingerbread disasters, collapses, and frustrations happen because the icing hasn't had an adequate amount of time to dry. It's not always easy for kids to be patient, so it's a good idea to have some other activity lined up in between steps to distract kids while they're waiting to work on the house.”

Most likely too much bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) was added. Bicarbonate of soda is an extremely active raising agent and if you add too much then the gingerbread will rise up a lot during baking, then sink back fairly dramatically.

Fit Everything Together with Melted Sugar or Royal Icing

The traditional technique is to use icing, such as our Royal Icing (with Meringue Powder). Generations of home bakers have used this tried-and-true method, and it works like a charm and tastes amazing. The second way is to use burnt sugar as your glue.

So to make sure our walls could stand strong, we sandwiched melted marshmallow cement between two graham crackers. The marshmallow adds weight, which helps stabilize the structure. It also acts as a sealant, ensuring that the cracker won't crumble.