if.you.build.MY.house

this is not suppose to be the title for this topic.  perhaps my chocolate house or my alternative gingerbread house would be more appropriate.  however, having read the bible this morning, the account between God and david seems to be rather appropriate too.  the story talks about God's covenant with david in 2 samuel 7:13 "he shall build a house for MY name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever". and certainly the house that is referred to in 2 samuel 7:13 is not build on chocolate or gingerbread.

but for now, i am going share with you on a fun project that i have recently embarked on...

  
i baked two loaves of chocolate cake using a well tried and faithful recipe for a black forest cake.  and cut them into blocks to construct the houses once the cakes are cooled.  i am not an architect, so both my alternative gingerbread houses are conventional and in fact these models would probably not passed the eyes of any trained architect.  but at least my model houses didn't collapse at all through the transportation.


crumb coat or cementing the houses using whipped cream...
the next day, i made my final compositions on both chocolate houses, first coated them with a layer of chocolate ganache.  then i let my creativity running wild a little by imagining how i want to decorate the house and its surroundings...
- a small slice of chocolate cake as chimney... of course, no gingerbread chocolate house without a chimney for santa to climb in and leave some gifts...
- some almond meringue round shape windows...
- some haribo soft candies to denote the glass stained windows...
- a chocolate bar door...
- hang a green marzipan christmas wreath on the door perhaps... yes, let's do it!
- some red and green m&m chrismas lights outdoor around the roof... look festive!
- some fondant snowmen... let's make it two, one big and one small...it's been cold and plenty of snow lately...
- some wild orange marzipan mushrooms popping out from the chocolate cake wooden bench... for a rustic feel
- a red marzipan angel with a halo like the account of the birth of Christ where an angel announcing the Son of God is born on this special day!!!
and what else....
- snow.. how could i forget the snow!!! a generous sprinkle of shredded coconut flakes on the entire house and ta..da..!!!

here, i present you my humble gingerbread chocolate house


and the front, top, side views of my humble creation....
we took this one to our friends who invited us for dinner on Christmas day.

and i crafted another little house, just a size smaller with the same concept but a little variation in compositions....

when i am done, he actually asked me if i have created a "do do train", a locomotive...
i almost fainted! perhaps the chimney and the round windows make this house a locomotive. whatever!!

this is a gift for our five years old nephew..
that's my fun crafting project and i guess i will give my edible arts a little break between now till the new year ...