Project Gingerbread

Chefs in the city are ringing in the festive season by building gigantic, edible works of art.

Earlier this month, executive pastry chef Bill Yosses set a record when he unveiled the largest gingerbread house in White House history. It took his team of chefs six weeks, 150 pounds of dough and 250 pounds of white chocolate to design this 400 pound, 56x29-inch masterpiece. The house even has a miniature marzipan replica of Bo, the President’s dog, dark chocolate furniture and a photo of Abraham Lincoln on the wall.

Well! Chefs in the Capital are not far behind when it comes to crafting gigantic, mouthwatering works of art this festive season. From 10-feet-tall walk-in gingerbread houses to a six-by-four feet gingerbread town, many hotels in the city have splurged on these edible showstoppers.

“The gingerbread coupled with mulled wine and cookies gives off a wonderful aroma, making the experience truly magical,” explains Pranav Patel, F&B director, The Claridges, Surajkund. The hotel has a 14-feet-tall gingerbread house on display, and it has been “an absolute hit.”

But however tempting they may be, the creators of these gingerbread houses do not advice eating off the wall. “It may not be hygienic. But if someone wants to see what the hut tastes like, we have gingerbread tiles on sale,” says Rajat Tuli, executive chef, Hilton Garden Inn, whose team has constructed a 10x12 feet house. Patel has a different take on the matter. “You could eat it, but then the witches may get to you, just like Hansel and Gretel!”

Chefs in the city are ringing in the festive season by building gigantic, edible works of art

Dlf place, Saket (by Hilton Garden Inn)

Size: 10 feet tall, and 12 feet wide
Time taken: It took 12 chefs, 10 days to bake the bread and 3 nights to decorate and assemble it
Ingredients: 500 kg dough, 50 kg icing
Inside: Walk in and you’ll find plum cakes, ginger cookies, liqueur chocolates, mince pie and more goodies on sale. There are even wall tiles from the house on offer.
Estimated cost: Rs 1.5 lakh
On display till: December 28

Hotel Shangri-la

Size: 12x12 feet
Time taken: It took 6 chefs, 6 days to make it
Ingredients used: 100 kg flour; apart from honey, rye flour, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, molasses, salt, sugar, icing sugar, creme of tarter, and more
What’s inside: Goodies like plum cakes, mince pies and stollen, gingerbread cookies, etc are on sale
Estimated cost: Rs 60,000
On display till: January 15

The Imperial

Size: 6x4 feet
Time taken: It took a team of 12 chefs, 2 weeks to complete the town
What's inside: Made up of 15 small gingerbread houses
Ingredients: 15 kg gingerbread, 2 kg assorted nuts, 2 kg icing sugar, 1 kg chocolate, and more
Estimated cost: Rs 25,000
On display till: January 5

The Claridges, Surajkund

Size: 14 feet tall, 10 feet long and 6 feet wide
Time taken: It took 4 chefs, 2 days to complete it
Ingredients: 40-45 kg flour, 15 kg sugar, assorted nuts, candied ginger, honey, etc.
What’s inside: Shelves stacked with small gingerbread houses, plum cakes, jujubes, gift hampers, etc
On display till: December 31
Estimated cost: “Priceless, because the joy of making it is so wonderful” — Pranav Patel, F&B director