Basic Pancake Batter

4oz (100g) Plain Flour
Pinch of salt
1 Large egg
½ pint (10 fl oz)(275 ml) milk

Sift the flour and the salt into a large bowl. Make a hollow in the centre of the flour and drop in the slightly beaten egg and half the milk. Start mixing the flour into the liquid preferably using a whisk, you can use a spoon or a fork. Make sure to incorporate all the flour, once this is done, pour in the rest of the milk and whisk until the mixture has the consistency of thin cream.

Using a heavy- based shallow frying pan, heat a little lard, just enough to grease the pan so that the pancake batter doesn't stick. The pan should be quite hot before you pour the batter in. Pour in enough batter to make a thin film over the base of the pin, tilting the pan in all directions will help to get an even thickness. The underside of the pancake should be golden brown in less than a minute, you can adjust the heat to get this just right. Flip the pancake over using a spatula or if you're brave toss the pancake in the air by flicking your wrist as you move the pan away. Cook the other side of the pancake until golden brown.

Pancakes can be served in many different ways, the simplest way is to turn the pancake out onto a plate with kitchen roll on that has been sprinkled with sugar. Sprinkle more sugar and  squeeze some lemon juice on the top of the pancake and either roll or fold. You can also add a spoonful of jam before folding.

 

Chocolate Nests

Block of cooking chocolate (Milk or Plain)

Shredded Wheat

Sugar Coated mini eggs

Small cake paper cases.

 

Break the chocolate into small pieces and place in a bowl. The chocolate now needs to  melt so you can either put the bowl in a low oven, or rest the bowl over another bowl of hot water, and leave until all the chocolate has melted.

Once melted give the chocolate a good stir and start to add some of the crumbled Shredded Wheat, add enough to give a twiggy effect to the chocolate.

Spoon enough of the mixture into one of the paper cases to make a nest shape, leaving a hollow in the middle, big enough to place about 4 mini eggs in. You can either put the eggs in straight away and they will stick to the hardening chocolate or wait until the nest has set. Remove the nest from the paper case when the nest is finished.

 

Mini Christmas Cakes

This recipe is enough to make about 12 small cakes made in small baked bean tins. It can be made in a 10" square large tin and be cut to make smaller cakes.

 

 

 

You will need to collect 12 small Baked bean or similar small can and wash thoroughly. If the can has had a pull tab on it you will have been left with a small rim so you  need to cut out the bottom of the can. Turn the can upside down and the bottom will now rest on the rim around the top, like a normal cake tin.( Be careful as the can bottom is likely to be sharp).

Line each can as you would a normal cake tin using greaseproof paper, making the side paper come up 5cm/2" above the sides of the cans.

Place the Black Treacle in a bowl to warm in the oven.

 

Using a wooden spoon, cream the butter and both the sugars until the mixture is light and fluffy. Gradually add the beaten eggs a little at a time and then add the combined sifted flour and spices, beating well to make sure that everything is combined.

Now add all the fruit, cherries and almonds (if including) and stir well, then add the final ingredients, the warmed treacle, vanilla essence, juice of the lemon and the brandy, again stir well.

Spoon the mixture into the cans, there should be enough for 12 cans. Place the cans on the middle shelf of the pre-heated oven. Cook for approximately 1½hrs. Check after an hour, (as the cakes are small and ovens vary it is worth checking on them after an hour)

 

Trim the crusts off the bread and then spread your chosen filling so that it covers one side of the slice completely. Carefully roll up the bread until you have a log shape, which you can then slice into pieces about 2-3cm thick. Stand the spirals of bread on their sides with the edge of the bread just poking out from the bottom, as shown above, you can then add some small pieces of either carrot or liquorice to make the stalks for the eyes.

Place the snails on a bed of chopped up lettuce.

Small Cakes

These easy to make little cakes can be decorated in lots of different ways.

Makes 12 - 14 cakes

6oz/175g Self raising flour
4oz/100g  Soft margarine
4oz/100g Caster sugar
2 large eggs

Preheat Oven at 375ºF/190ºC Gas Mark 5

 

You will also need some small cake tins and small cake cases.

Put all of the ingredients into a bowl and using either an electric mixer or by hand, mix them all together thoroughly for at least 2 minutes until the mixture is light and creamy.

Put the paper cases into the tins and then divide the mixture equally between them.

Bake in the centre of the oven for 15 - 20 minutes, the cakes when cooked should be golden in colour and just firm to the touch.

Remove the cakes from the tins and leave to cool on  a wire tray.

Pumpkin Soup

1lb/400g Pumpkin flesh (after it has been peeled and the seeds scooped out)
You will probably need a pumpkin that weighs about 3lb/1.2kg
1 Large onion peeled and chopped
8oz/200g Peeled potatoes
1½ pints/850ml of Vegetable stock
½ pint/275ml Milk
2oz/50g Butter
Salt and freshly ground pepper to season
Optional carton of double cream.

 

In a large saucepan cook the chopped onion in the butter until it
becomes soft and transparent.
Cut the pumpkin flesh into small chunks and add to the saucepan along with the potatoes. Cover the pan and cook slowly for 20 minutes until the vegetables are soft.
Add the stock, milk, and the salt and pepper and bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
Liquidize the soup until it becomes a purée then pour back into the pan and simmer without boiling.
A swirl of cream can be added to the soup as it is served.

Fruit Crumble (4-5 small dishes)

4oz/100g SR Flour
2oz/50g Margarine
1oz/25g Granulated Sugar
2 Medium cooking apples
Caster sugar to sweeten the fruit
Small foil dishes

If you are able to pick some blackberries with the children they can be added to the apple for a more tasty and colourful filling.
(other fruit can be used such as peaches, raspberries etc)

To make the crumble, rub the margarine into the flour, the children cwill enjoy taking turns in doing this. Add the granulated sugar and stir until it is well mixed and then set to one side.

Prepare the apples by peeling and cutting them into small pieces, letting the children help where appropriate. If using blackberries, wash thoroughly before adding to the apples.

Fill each foil case ¾ full with the apple and blackberries and then sprinkle with a heaped teaspoonful of caster sugar. Cover the fruit with the crumble mix and press down gently.

Cook at 180°C for 20 minutes or until crumble is golden brown.

Care should be taken when taking the dishes out of the oven as the fruit juice may bubble at the edges and become very hot.

Pizza

Pizza dough mix (Packet dough where just water is added - in the UK Sainsburys sell their own brand Italian pizza base mix)
Tomato puree or chopped tomatoes
A choice of toppings as suggested below:
Mushrooms
Ham
Pepperoni
Pineapples
Pepper
Tuna
Cheese

To make the base follow the instructions on the packet - this usually means adding water to the powder mix and then kneading into a dough on a floured area. Once the dough has come together the children can be given a small piece each and shown how to stretch and pull the dough for a few minutes. The children can then form the dough into a flat roundish shape, by flattening with their palms. The dough needs to be put in a warm place for 10 minutes on a greased and floured tray or non-stick baking paper, during which time the toppings can be prepared.

If working with a small group of 4/5 children they can help prepare the toppings by peeling the mushrooms, cutting the ham, pineapple etc and grating the cheese with an appropriate amount of help. Obviously care must be taken with knives and graters.

When the dough has rested then let the children spread either tomato puree or chopped tomato on their pizza base and then add their choice of topping.

Cook as stated on the packet usually about 15/20 minutes at 220°C until cheese is golden brown.

Remove from oven and leave to cool.