Cape Dutch Soetkoekie House

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Line 2/3 large rectangular baking tray with parchment paper. Beat butter and sugar in an electric beater. Beat in eggs, vanilla, and nutmeg until combined. In a separate bowl, sift baking powder with flour and add to butter mixture slowly and a little at a time. The dough will become stiff, if it is too stiff for the mixer turn the dough out onto the surface and with wet hands continue to incorporate the remaining flour by hand. Do not chill dough, divide it into smaller batches and roll out on floured surface to 5 mm.Cut out templates of each side of the house with a small sharp smooth bladed knife. Place cut shapes on parchment on trays and bake for 8-12 minutes until edges are golden. Remove from the oven, place templates over cookies again and re-define edges or shape if they have warped. Royal Allow cookies to cool. Royal icing: In a bowl whisk meringue powder and water. Add cream of tartar and whisk. Transfer to an electric mixer and beat in icing sugar with paddle attachment for 10 minutes. Add coloring or flavoring. Cover icing with a damp towel to prevent drying out.

Royal Icing

Ingredients

¾ cup warm water
5 tbsp meringue or egg white powder
1 tsp cream of tartar
1kg icing sugar

To decorate

1. Ice sides of the house with royal icing or assemble and then ice afterwards. In a shallow pan heat up sugar until caramel stage. Dip sides of the house into thin amounts of caramel and stick together on a presentation board. Create gable details with royal icing. Stick white choc sweet on top of each gable edge.