Sometimes we just need to take a situation, learn from it and move on.
Gingerbread TARDIS
A year ago, or maybe just under, I sent my friend Helen a message on Twitter about an idea I had for baking.
That idea was a TARDIS made of gingerbread!
The few days following that idea, I went about making the plans and drawing the templates.
I laminated these ones and drew another set to actually cut out and use.
I started by making one batch of gingerbread, just to get the ball rolling. I rolled the pieces onto baking paper on a large baking tray, just as big as I could manage and baked them for the time stated.
Fortunately, it turned out that I had made enough (which was a relief, because gingerbread is an absolute nightmare!). It took me a while to figure out how to place the templates to try and make it all fit, but I got there in the end.
After I had cut out all the pieces, I had the greatest urge to see how it looked. I’m glad I did this, because I needed an extra piece on top, otherwise it would have fallen inside and that would not be useful. Thank goodness I had enough gingerbread spare.
After trying it out, I wrapped everything up for the next day, when I would do the icing (it was about 10pm at this time, after all).
Next day came and I used the same templates to cut out the icing (which was fondant, with blue food dye (not quite TARDIS blue, but as blue as I could manage without wasting gel)), then I made royal icing to stick everything together.
I stuck all the fondant onto the gingerbread with royal icing and let it over night to dry out.
The next day it was time for as many details as I could possibly do. This is the front panel, with the doors. I know the details aren’t perfect, but it’s impossible writing that small with the icing tube that I had. I also put fondant on the edges of the pieces, because the gingerbread doesn’t look good when you’re trying to make a TARDIS.
(I had so many more pictures, but in a rush I saved them all incorrectly after putting my name on and I couldn’t salvage all of them. Fortunately, enough survived so that I am able to show you all the steps. I did have a picture of my hands dyed blue, but that was ruined. Oh well, we live and we learn.)
So, another day after the details, I finally put the whole thing together! Again, I had to let everything dry and stick together. Sadly all the gingerbread is now quite soft, but I don’t think that will stop it being eaten! We just had to be careful we don’t break our teeth on the royal icing!
And so, here it is, the final product! Hope you all like it. :]
In all, it took me 4 days to make, although most of the work was done within about 6 hours, just that the royal icing had to be left to dry over night or everything might have slipped all over the place.
