Sweets, sweets and more sweets
Sweet fanatics also could see the ginormous gingerbread house on display aptly fitting in with the theme of the expo.
![](https://images.caxton.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2015/06/P124053_655393831.jpg)
Have you ever dreamed of walking into a room filled with all your favourite sweets?
Children from all shapes and sizes dragged their nervous parents to The Globe at Silverstar to make their sweet dream come true … a massive room filled with candy!
![The Van der Walts (from the front) Carla, Isabella, Jaco and Marisa right before they indulged in the everything sweet at the expo.](https://images.caxton.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2015/06/P124054_646718566-520x390.jpg)
The annual Sweet and Snack Expo opened its doors to the public for three days for young and old to indulge in the many sweets of exhibitors luring potential clients with their sweet intentions.
If that was not enough, sweet fanatics also could see the ginormous gingerbread house on display aptly fitting in with the theme of the expo The Road with Ginger.
Chef Nicolas van der Walt and his team baked the gingerbread house and provided the News with some interesting facts about it. The house was designed with ginger biscuits in a natural brick color to create a different style of gingerbread house.
![Monument High's baking team Kayla Liversay and Gabriella Viljoen during the final of the Novelty Cake Competition.](https://images.caxton.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2015/06/P124055_576626487-520x390.jpg)
“These biscuits were cut to size as normal bricks and baked with an almost terracotta look with black marble. The bricks were stuck to a framework with royal icing. The door, windows and the roses in the baskets were made with chocolate,” said Nicolas from the Food and Beverage Institute Chef School.
The ingredients used:
• 56kg cake flour
• 42kg granulated sugar
• 60kg icing sugar
• 70 dozen eggs
• 1kg bicarbonate of soda
• 4,8kg golden syrup
• 100kg butter
• 1,5kg ginger powder
• 12 (10g) Rolkem orange concentrated colouring
• five (10g) Rolkem black concentrated colouring
• 50kg dark compound chocolate
![Chef Nicolas van der Walt (centre) with his team who baked the ginormous gingerbread house.](https://images.caxton.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2015/06/P124054_631279619-520x390.jpg)
The baking took four days and the assembly of the house three days. After the expo the cake was disposed of because, due to health standards, it could not be eaten or donated to charity.
“The house was standing open for five days and a lot of hands were working on the actual house, we did not donate this because of health reasons.”
During the expo the final of the Novelty Cake Competition, a competition for Grade 11 high school pupils, also took place. Numerous schools in the area took part in building and baking their own novelty cake.
Nicolas was a judge in this competition and said the standard among the pupils were very high.
Monument High’s Kayla Liversay and Gabriella Viljoen took part in the finals, but Zwartkop High’s Natasha Nel and Crika Slabbert won.
![The owner of the Domaine Des Dieux winery Sharon Parnell pairing some crackers and cheese with her signature Method Cap Classique Claudia and fellow judge Judith Lee.](https://images.caxton.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2015/06/P124055_626208311-520x390.jpg)
Apart from all the sweets, a few snacks also emerged. Wine pairing and tasting saw a lot of patrons trying to balance their taste buds, while snack makers revelled in the plight of those wanting a break from all the sweetness.
The expo was attended by thousands of sweet and snack enthusiasts who left with more than just tooth decay.
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