A little cookie house
( La casetta di biscotti )

This cake is proposed in the pages dedicated to Christmas for some reasons. It's difficult to do but it's funny to do with the help of our children and it's a merrymaking for them! Why don't we make it at Christmas when we have more time? But you can always realize it first of all when you have to plan a party for your child. There isn't better game than "pulling down" it and eating all together!

At first you have to make the paper shapes you need for "building" your house with short pastry. Draw a rectangle with a pencil on a sheet of paper; this will be the side-wall (15 x 7,5 cm - 6 x 3 in); another rectangle for the roof (17 x 10 cm - 7 x 4 in) and one of the two fronts: a rectangle (10 x 7,5 cm - 4 x 3 in) surmounted by a triangle (7,5 cm - 3 in high). Cut the shapes.

Put the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg on a clean work surface. Make a well in the centre and add the egg yolks and butter. With your fingertips, gradually, rub in the fat and egg yolks until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. Don't over-work or allow to become warm. At this point knead briefly but firmly to obtain the dough. Cover and let it rest in a cool place for about an hour.
Preheat oven to 180 °C (350 °F). Sprinkle with flour the work surface, the dough and the rolling pin; roll out the pastry until it is about 2,5 cm (1 in) thick. Put the paper shapes on the pastry and with a knife cut the pastry. You have to cut 2 roofs, 2 side-walls and two fronts. Cut a door on one of the fronts and some windows on the side-walls. With the remnants you can make other decorations for the little house or some cookies (very tasty!). Place the pieces of pastry on a buttered baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes. Cooking time depends on pastry thickness. Let them cool very well before "building" your house.
Then build your house. Prepare your natural glue with icing sugar: add 2 tablespoons water to 100 g (3 1/2 oz) icing sugar. With your fingertips brush this natural glue along the edges of the various house pieces. Build your little house pressing very gently a piece with another; you have to be very patient!
Let them dry very well before adding other decorations. At this point you can decorate according to your taste. This cake may be prepared in advance.

Variations for a light food

You can use vegetal margarine instead of butter. There is a recipe for a light short pastry too.