Baking can be a fun and therapeutic activity that has many benefits. The great thing about baking is that it is a task the whole family can enjoy and benefit from. Baking with kids gives you the opportunity to help teach your children some basic life skills. They can learn about the importance of cleanliness when cooking, preparing foods from scratch, and healthy eating – even when baking treats.
In addition to this, baking with children allows them to practice some simple math, when measuring ingredients, follow instructions, and helps to improve cognitive development. Finally, you also get to impart that feeling of pride when your delicious baked goods come out of the oven smelling irresistible.
So with all of those practical benefits why not get in the kitchen this weekend with your children and put your culinary expertise to the test with some of these simple baking ideas.
Chocolate crispy cakes
These are perfect for younger families and incredibly simple. All you need is chocolate and cereal. You simply melt down the chocolate and once melted stir in the cereal. Cornflakes or rice crispies are a great option for this. Spoon the mixture into cupcake cases and leave them to set for several hours in the fridge.
Blackberry pie
This is a true baking recipe that will see your children bake a delicious traditional fresh fruit dessert to be proud of. You will only need 7 basic ingredients that you can find in most pantries with the exception of pre-rolled pastry. This showstopper of a pudding gives the impression of a complex bake but is one even the younger members of the family can master. This blackberry pie is best enjoyed fresh out of the oven with a helping of vanilla ice cream.
Frozen yogurt bark
Ok so there is less baking involved in this one but it still serves up a sweet yet healthy pudding, and it couldn’t be simpler to make. All you need to do is pour yogurt into a baking tin and add some toppings of your choice. Popular toppings include berries such as strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. Alternatively, sprinkle over some chocolate chips or drizzle a teaspoon of honey on top. Then place your yogurt into the freezer for 2-3 hours and let it set. The result is a delicious and healthy summer treat.
Popcorn Rocky road
Rocky road is a family favorite that is both fun and easy to make. You can spice up your rocky road by using popcorn as part of the filling. You simply melt ample amounts of chocolate and mix in broken biscuit pieces, marshmallows, glazed cherries, and of course, popcorn. Pour your chocolate mixture into a baking tray and it pop into the fridge to set for 2-3 hours. Once set, divide your mixture into small chunks for the whole family to enjoy. The great thing about rocky road is you can change up the fillings to suit your family. Why not use biscoff biscuits for extra flavor or add gummies to really sweet things up.
Cupcakes
Cupcakes can be as simple or as complicated as you want them to be. If you want to keep things manageable when baking with children then simply make your typical victoria sponge mixture. Pour the mixture into cupcake cases and bake for around 15 to 18 minutes. Ensure the cakes are cooked, you can tell by placing a knife into the center of the cake and if the knife comes out clean then the cake is cooked. Once cooked, allow the cakes to cool completely before decorating with a simple icing sugar mix. If you want to jazz up your cupcakes then add a little food coloring to the icing sugar or add sprinkles to the iced cakes before they set.
Chocolate chip cookies
Children love cookies and are a go-to snack so why not make your own? You can even make them a little healthier by reducing the sugar content (or replacing white sugar for brown sugar), limiting the chocolate chips, and replacing the flour with oat or coconut flour. Children will love getting stuck in and rolling and shaping their own cookies by hand. You could even use cookie cutters to make themed cookies. The best bit about cookies is they usually only take around 10 minutes to cook and are best enjoyed fresh out of the oven and still a little warm. The remaining cookies will make for a great healthier snack alternative to offer up to the family.
BY TECHIE MAMMA