This Gingerbread House is the pride and joy of my over-achieving husband, Mr. P. My previous attempts have resembled some kind of psychedelic World Heritage Site-cum Christmas morning. Apparently the roof couldn't handle 2 tonnes of smarties and candy canes. Obviously Mr P didn't let the kids near this one. In fact I came into the kitchen to discover two grown men discussing the structural integrity of The Gingerbread House with the kind of intensity that you may find at a conference on nuclear warfare. If you are a Christmas overachiever give it a whirl, that's if you're not too busy plucking your home-reared turkey or bungee jumping down the chimney.

Mr. P's top 5 tips:

1. Make sure the gingerbread dough is cooled before you roll it out. Then roll it out (in sections) between sheets of grease-proof paper to the same thickness! 

2. Allow the gingerbread to cool completely on wire racks prior to assembly.

3. Only use Mary Berry's icing meringue for the joins/glue. She knows what she is talking about!

4. Ask for help when building it! 4 hands are definitely better than 2.

5. Build the house in sections and let it set completely prior to adding more bits and pieces.

6. Use wine bottles to steady the Gingerbread walls and roof whilst they set.

Mr P roughly followed Mary Berry's gingerbread recipe, however the chimney was too much, even for a man with no mortal equal.

Bon courage

Sophie xxxx
PS. Don't forget to put a tea light inside - so pretty.