World’s Largest Gingerbread Structures

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Sweet-toothed students taking online pastry courses might want to make a note. People are pulling out all the stops this year and making some of the largest ginger bread structures in history. Teams of pastry chefs, volunteers and ginger bread enthusiasts have come together to create magical villages and life-size houses. All of these buildings include candy, icing and specially-made gingerbread.

World’s largest gingerbread village
New York chef Jon Lovitch made the world a little bit sweeter on December 4 when he finished creating the world’s largest gingerbread village. He and his team spent more than 152 hours creating this masterpiece, which includes 65 candy trees, 5 trains, an underground station, 160 gingerbread houses, and a skating rink for good measure. Representatives of the Guinness Book of World Records visited Lovitch to take measurements of his creation. The entire village spans 300 square feet and weighed in at over 2,500 pounds, earning it certification as the World’s Largest Gingerbread Village.

Lovitch began developing the concept and logistics of this wonder a year ago and plans to send the gingerbread houses to a few lucky families. Parts of the structure were assembled inside Lovitch’s New York home and put together at the New York Hall of Science in Queens, where it is currently on exhibit.

World’s largest gingerbread house
The largest gingerbread house in the world is really a sight to see. It covers more than 39,000 square feet and, at its highest point, rises to just over two stories.

Every bit of the gingerbread is edible, says Bill Horton, the general manager of Texas A&M Traditions Club, the group that came up with the idea. More than 12,000 pounds of combined sugar, eggs, flour and butter were used to create the gingerbread house.

Initially, the group just wanted to beat the previous world record for largest gingerbread house, But when employees at the the St. Joseph Health System told Horton that they were seeking funding for a new trauma and care center, he knew how his club could help. After construction of the house ended, the team opened up the house’s doors and allowed the public in. It cost two dollars for children and three for adults, but there have also been significant donations made toward the new care center by visitors of the sugary chateau.