Rainy Day Baking

 

This happens to be a very appropriate book for this half term holiday, the weather has left a lot to be desired around these parts. Yesterday morning it was bloomin awful, and today is looking even worse. Along with the drizzle, we've got thick fog to contend with :: I'm up in the Attic and I can barely see my town, let alone the hills today.

But still, I am trying not to complain, because in actual fact I'm loving being home with the Little People, and the dire weather does kind of narrow down the indecision of the  what-shall-we-do-today question. 

Baking seems to be the In Thing in our house right now. I mean, I am always baking, and have often involved the Little People in this pleasurable activity. But as they grow older, baking is increasingly becoming something they want to do for themselves. Which is simultaneously great and alarming. 

Can you remember Little Man a few weekends ago, concocting his very own bun mixture in the kitchen All By Himself?? Well since then, he has really taken an interest in baking. I've written out a few simple recipes for him on squares of paper so that he can easily read the ingredients with their quantities, and the order in which they go into the bowl. He is doing great. He weighs meticulously, to the exact gram. He uses a wooden spoon vigorously, beats with gusto, so his buns end up light and airy. Of course, it's a little messy. Sometimes it's a lot messy. But oh, the joy! How can any Mum not be proud of her six year old almost daily begging to make buns, flapjacks, cookies??

Anyhow, back to the book. This is "The Rainy Day Book" by Jane Bull. I'm not sure if this book is still in print (we've owned it for quite a few years now) but I see on Amazon that she now has many other titles too, including a Baking Book, which will be a definite future purchase for my little Baker.

This book, and this page in particular has been so very, very loved over the years, not only by my Little People, but by various visiting Little Friends too. I've made this sweet dough recipe countless times when my two were little, and its a fantastic activity for children of all ages.

The ingredients are easy to remember, and the proportions are 1:2:3

1 part :: sugar (normal, white granulated sugar)

2 parts :: soft butter or margarine

3 parts :: plain flour.

For the quantity of dough pictured below in Little lady's hands, use 25g sugar, 50g butter and 75g flour. This makes about 8 medium sized cookies.

Simply put all the ingredients into a bowl together (make sure the butter/margarine is soft or it'll be hard work), and rub together with your fingers until the dough begins to form. For a little while it may seem like it's not going to work, it looks quite crumbly at the start. But the trick is to really work the mixture so that the butter warms up.

It ends up like a sweet, edible play-doh. Small children can just pull bits off, roll it into balls in the palm of their hands and then flatten/bang it into a cookie shape. when they are at pre-school/playgroup age, they are well accustomed to shaping and manipulating play-doh, so this comes naturally to them. Its a joy to watch.

For my two they will not entertain this slap dash method any more. Far too babyish.

No, they want a rolling pin and proper cookie cutters.

Ok, we can do that.

Little Lady chooses hearts, and little man goes for stars.

He does his completely unassisted and the cookies vary a lot in thickness, but it still all works out OK.

I resist the urge to neaten them up, to flatten the thick ones, to re-roll the thin ones.

The cookies get decorated before they go into the oven. Use whatever you fancy :: choc chips, sugar flowers, smarties, sprinkles.

Bake at a low temp 160/325/gas 3 for 15 mins.

 

You will undoubtedly have a battle on your hands trying to get the cookies from the baking tray to the cooling rack without little hands/mouths intervening.

They are perfect for a little Morning Snack with a glass of milk.

You may or may not wish to sample your Little One's baking efforts.

These are not the tastiest cookies ever made.

And somehow, the fact that the dough has been pounded between Little Palms and slapped around rather brutally kind of sticks in ones mind as one is chewing and swallowing.

But the Kids love 'em.

And thats what counts.

Comments

[Sam]

What a great, simple idea. I've bookmarked it for future rainy days with my 2 1/2 year old!

[Michaela]

I made these same cookies once with a couple of boys in school. They had trouble reading, had trouble behaving and were always being told off. I felt they had a really tough time of it all so managed to persuade the Powers That Be to give them a break and let them have fun for once. The boys were incredibly creative and made lovely cookies - at least they thought they were lovely, I reserved judgement!

Strangely enough, their behaviour improved (albeit for a very short time!)

[AnnaPaula]

I've discovered your blog today and I love it..
You're in my links till now!!
AnnaPaula

[Mrs Bun]

The eating bit made me chuckle. My girls offer up things they have made with such pride and I also have to say mantra like don't think what they've done to it, just chew and swallow. Lovely post.

[Jo]

What fun, that book looks fantastic. Will have to check out Amazon, not that we will be baking for a few more years (Cara is coming up one in April). I can't wait to be able to bake with her though.

The cookies your little people made look fantastic, no wonder they were happy.

Hope the weather gets a bit better soon.

[Salihan]

That's just too cute! I wish I had kids to bake with. Thanks for sharing the book. My nephew has his birthday coming up and I might get him a book just like that. Have a wonderfully, rainy day. :)

[Kar]

How utterly adorable and precious! My little peeps love helping in the kitchen more than anything. My toes get run over often when a chair or a bench try to make their way into the kitchen so counters can be reached. :) I try not to freak out too much about the mess and keep telling myself that things can be cleaned up after. Kind of hard when my working past was in a HUGE kitchen and you had "clean as you go" crammed into your brain daily. I take a lot of deep breaths so not to ruin their moments of gratitude. It's all about nice, warm memories.

Thanks for sharing another wonderful Little People moment with us all Luce. What lucky, lucky Little People they are with you as a Mum. :) It just makes a gal want to give you a big bear hug for being so darn wonderful to them.

xxxx

[Cathy]

Perfect timing Lucy - my own little men have just made these cookies thanks to you. Now I'm just going to clean up all the sprinkles all over the kitchen floor! xx

[Lucy Locket-Pocket]

But surely pounding and slapping the dough around is a great way to get their fingernails clean?!!

[simone]

I bet the little people felt a great sense of achievement. I know what their dad is going to have to sample when he gets home from work!

[Regina]

Hi Lucy
Wonderful post.Happy Kids and a lucky mother!!

Have a nice day
Regina

[Jen]

PArt of this book, according to the picture, makes me think I should've written a book myself. When my boy was little, I had a box in the basement--THe Rainy Day Box--that he was allowed to open ON RAINY DAYS (duh) but only on those days. It wAS filled with toys that were really no exciting than others, but the idea that they only were allowed to be played with on these days was really exciting to him. I would refill it occasionally (secretly) and that just added to the excitement.

Sigh. I miss those days. Now he's 13 and wants nothing to do with me. Hold these days dear, Lucy.

[Janette]

hi, today is a promised mid week computer/dvd day for Jamie (ie I have some paperwork I need to do this week)but as for the rest of the holidays we have a baking day planned and a wooden crocodile building day (an unopened Christmas Present)to tackle. We were lucky yesterday this side of the pennines the weather was dry and mild enough for Jamie and his friends to build an obstacle course in the garden so it's actually been nice for them to have some outdoor play for a change. (we missed out on most of the snow and just had the rain so it seems like months since we've been out). Have fun
xx

[noelle]

they do look nice but i know what you mean about the taste! still, it keeps them entertained. we are having dry weather down here in the westcountry for the half term so sam is able to go out and play with his friends , leaving me to play with felting or sewing!!!! oooh lucky me!

[Sharon Sunday]

I have been enjoying your blog for a while, but I must comment on this one. I loved the book and the cookies. I will definately do this with my grandchildren, who also love to bake. Thanks!

[Lesley]

well they look good even if they dont taste it :-) i will have to resort to baking tomorrow after my week so far that ive just blogged about - luckily having a few hours to myself whilst the grandparents do the entertaining ;-)
Lesley x

[Emma]

Oh many thanks - we were going to make biccies this morning anyway - we even have sprinkles in. This looks like such a simple recipe. I spy a cocoa version in the book though, and we have some green and black's cocoa in the cupboard - how much shall I add?

[fleur]

Thanks! As it rains in Paris and I have no appropriate book nor kit. I am going to buy "sprinkles" (?) :-)