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Frozen gingerbreadNEW ORLEANS (WGNO) – Thirty-five pounds of sugar, 19 pounds of butter, almost 5 pounds of spices and 96 eggs—that’s just a few of the ingredients that went into the gingerbread masterpiece on the third floor lobby of The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans.

There are 12 scenes from Disney’s famous Frozen town of Arendelle, along with an Olaf made of 20 pounds of chocolate. Executive Pastry Chef Ravindra Verma says perfecting the character’s expressions is the hardest part of the detail work.

“Facial expressions, to get it right, which is the key because it should look like and it should speak for itself that you know it’s Olaf!” smiles Verma.

The display took four people nearly a month to create, and installation was a 12-hour process. Chef says any traditional candies you have on hand will work when decorating a gingerbread house at home—and having the right icing is key.

For more info on Ritz-Carlton holiday happenings in New Orleans, click HERE.

Some Gingerbread Tips

For the best icing, use one part egg whites to three parts powdered sugar, and to help the icing stick together, add something acidic such as lemon juice.

“Once you make the house give it some time, at least an hour, before you lift it and move it around,” recommends Chef Verma.

Another tip: if you’re baking cookies, no matter what the recipe says, keep a constant eye on the oven. One of the most common baking mistakes is thinking that all ovens are the same.

Watch the video above for a look at something you’ll definitely want to try at home: A simple shift in decorating turns a traditional gingerbread man into one of Santa’s reindeer! (Hint: turn the gingerbread man upside down, and think Rudolph!)