Sara Lewis - Childrens Book of Baking

For Mitch, an enthusiastic and creative cake maker and taster.

First published in Great Britain in 2006 by Hamlyn, a division of Octopus Publishing Group Ltd This edition published in 2007 by Bounty Books, a division of Octopus Publishing Group Ltd Endeavour House, 189 Shaftesbury Avenue, London WC2H 8JY www.octopusbooks.co.uk An Hachette UK Company www.hachette.co.uk Copyright Octopus Publishing Group Ltd All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission of the publisher. ISBN: 978-0-753715-50-5 A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Notes Standard level spoon measures are used in all recipes: 1 tablespoon = one 15 ml spoon 1 teaspoon = one 5 ml spoon Both metric and imperial measurements are given for the recipes. Use one set of measures only, not a mixture of both.

Ovens should be preheated to the specified temperature. If using a fan-assisted oven, follow the manufacturers instructions for adjusting the time and temperature. Medium eggs have been used throughout. A few recipes include nuts and nut derivatives. Anyone with a known nut allergy must avoid these. Children under the age of 3 with a family history of nut allergy, asthma, eczema or any type of allergy are also advised to avoid eating dishes which contain nuts.

Do not give whole nuts or seeds to any child under 5 because of the risk of choking.

Key The apron symbol indicates recipes that are suitable for young or new cooks. contents introduction baking with kids What better way to relax with your child than to share the joy of making and baking cakes, cookies or bread. The smell alone is wonderful as it drifts through the house and the compliments your child will reap will make them burst with pride, whether they are a young pre-schooler or a teenager with attitude. There are recipes for all ages and abilities from easy all-in-one cakes ideal for the very young cook, and quick cakes to make after school, to something a little more ambitious for the older cook, such as some of the special cakes in the Cakes to impress chapter. Cooking isnt just fun, its educational, too, without your children even noticing it! Weighing out ingredients helps with basic maths from simple addition to fractions, not to mention the all-important skills of accuracy and attention to detail.

In addition, mixing, spreading and spooning all help with coordination. As your child grows in confidence and experience, parental input can become less and less, thereby increasing your childs independence and self-esteem. For those children who are very fussy eaters, cooking can also encourage them to be more adventurous, to try foods as they prepare them and to inspire a love of food rather than the dread of stressful mealtime battles. With more and more supermarkets stocking greater numbers of ready meals, we are in danger of bringing up a generation of children who cant or dont want to cook, preferring to sit in front of the TV or computer instead. Cooking at school is no longer an option for many children so it is up to us as parents or grandparents to encourage our children to want to learn. Luckily for me, I had a mum who let me take over the kitchen with my friend on a Saturday afternoon.

We made a terrible mess and had a few disasters but always enjoyed tasting the end results. My own children love to cook my daughter Alice keeps making muffins to soothe her exam nerves while my young son William is a griddle cake and chocolate spread fan. Unlike many other activities you may do with your children, you dont need to travel, queue up, pay for classes or buy lots of specialist equipment to enjoy cooking at home. The chances are you will have most of the ingredients in the cupboard and you can eat the end result. So get baking together and have fun! Sara Lewis

kids in the kitchen Baking is great fun for everyone but if youre planning to cook by yourself, always check with an adult before you begin. First choose a recipe you would like to bake and make sure that you have the time to prepare and cook it this is especially important if you are going out later. First choose a recipe you would like to bake and make sure that you have the time to prepare and cook it this is especially important if you are going out later.

Collect together all the ingredients and equipment you will need. Turn on the oven so that it can be heating up ready for cooking, then begin measuring and weighing out your ingredients and away you go!

Dont forget the following basic hygiene and safety rules when working in the kitchen: Always wash your hands before you begin. Tie back long hair. Wear an apron or old shirt to keep your clothes clean. Only use food that is within its use-by date and throw away any food that has been dropped on the floor. Make sure you have an adult with you when using sharp knives, electrical equipment or the cooker.

Enjoy yourself cooking but dont play about in the kitchen or you could hurt yourself, as well as spoiling the recipe. If youre not sure what size saucepan to use, then choose a bigger one so that its contents will be less likely to boil over. Turn saucepan handles to the side of the cooker, to avoid them being knocked as you pass by. Wipe up any spilt food or liquids on the floor at once to avoid slipping on a greasy patch. Always use oven gloves when taking hot dishes out of the oven.

The tidying up afterwards is not as fun as cooking but it has to be done! Make sure you put away all unused ingredients, wash up and dry all the equipment you have used and wipe all the work surfaces with a clean damp cloth before you leave the kitchen. The tidying up afterwards is not as fun as cooking but it has to be done! Make sure you put away all unused ingredients, wash up and dry all the equipment you have used and wipe all the work surfaces with a clean damp cloth before you leave the kitchen.Next page