Our twins love baking. They wanted to make mini Chollas last month to take in for their teachers. Little charmers. Here are two easy recipes that the kids can help with. One for Easter and one for Passover.
Shortbread Biscuits
My shortbread biscuits were the first I made for the salon and are a timeless classic. These are dressed for Easter.
Ingredients:
180gms plain flour
125gms unsalted butter
55gms caster sugar
Method: Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the flour and continue to mix until a smooth dough forms. Roll out onto a lightly floured surface and using a rolling pin roll out until approx 1.5cm thick. Use cookie cutters to make any shape biscuits you want and then place them on a lined baking tray.
Place in the fridge for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 190⁰c. Place baking tray in oven and bake for approx 8-10 mins, until slightly golden around the edges. Take out the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack
For the icing, mix a splash of water with 2-3 large tablespoon of icing sugar. The amount will vary depending on how many biscuits you are decorating. Start with a little water and keep adding until you have a thickish consistency that you can pipe, (you don’t want it too runny). Depending on how many colours you want to use you can split this and then add the dye. Use a piping bag to decorate.
Almond Macaroons (Passover)These traditional Passover biscuits are a favourite at this time of year.
Ingredients:
225gms ground almonds
115gms sugar
¼ tsp vanilla essence (optional)
2 egg whites
Almond flakes to decorate
Method:
Preheat fan oven to 180⁰C/160⁰C (fan assisted) and line a baking tray. Beat egg whites until slightly stiff. Mix the ground almonds, sugar and vanilla, then add to the egg whites and mix until everything is incorporated and you have a sticky consistency.
Roll a heaped teaspoon of the mixture, or pipe a ball onto the prepared tray leaving space between each and then press each one down slightly (wet your finger slightly first to prevent sticking), and then scatter a few flaked almonds on top. Bake for appx 15-18mins, they will go slightly golden brown. They will firm up as they cool down, but you want them hard on the outside and slightly chewy in the centre.
Gaby Van Clarke
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