National Baking Week is…

A great reason to grab your apron and head for the kitchen. Who doesn’t love baking, baking with kids or birthday baking? And few can resist a freshly baked loaf!

National Baking Week is all about encouraging people to bake and share.  The UK is all set to go baking crazy over the next few weeks to celebrate the third year of National Baking Week!   This year is set to be bigger and better than ever as bake and share continues to grow!   This year it’s time to share your baking triumphs with colleagues, family and school!

Kids LOVE baking!
Most of us have a story of baking with parents or grandparents that we remember. And there is nothing better than your own mum’s cakes, pies and biscuits. Now it is our opportunity to create those memories for our own children or grandchildren.

The youngest members of the family will love making cakes and decorating biscuits – just make sure that they are wearing an apron first! Rustic Angels have just introduced some gorgeous little aprons for children, and even some matching ones for adults.  Baking together doesn’t have to be a daily, or even weekly occurrence – although once you start you may all find it addictive!  Baking with school age children is a great opportunity to reinforce schoolwork in a fun and positive way. With weights and measures such a large part of the recipe, correct counting is very important. Plus, children can read up on baking techniques for important lessons on how to read instructions before they get baking!  Why not let the children bake some cakes and then invite their friends over for a little tea party?

Healthy baking
The word baking conjures up images of cakes, biscuits and buns. But on the National Baking Week website you will discover that baking can actually be healthy. Savoury bakes can include any number of vegetables – they can even be cleverly hidden from non-vegetable eating children! And sweet bakes such as pumpkin tea bread are the ideal for a sweet tooth, without feeling too indulgent. Plus, of course, home baking contains no additive, preservatives, colourings or flavourings – which has to be healthier than most of the ready meal options that you can buy from the shop.  There is even a baking with kids section so that everyone can be involved.

Rustic Angels have some gorgeous baking sets for children - how about an “I love Baking” set from Think Pink which comes with a pink spotty apron with the words “I love baking” on the front, a chef’s hat, a tea towel (fantastic – they can do their own washing up!) and a wooden spoon and rolling pin.  Or maybe the “Mummy’s Little Helper” baking set which comes in a retro spotty suitcase and contains a red gingham apron, small wooden spoon, and a rolling pin, a metal whisk, 2 cookie cutters, 72 retro spot fairy cake cases and a journal to record all those family favourite recipes.

Along with our range of pvc wipe clean aprons the kids will be well kitted out for a spot of home baking and the will just LOVE IT!

Here are a couple of our favourite recipes from the National Baking Week website -

Bite-Size Chocolate Banana Chip Muffins

Ingredients:
125g all-purpose flour
250ml  Semi-Skimmed Milk
125g Allinson Wholewheat Plain Flour
1 egg
2 tsp baking powder
80g Silver Spoon Cakecraft chocolate chips
1/4 tsp each, baking soda & salt
60g President Unsalted Butter, melted
140g Billingtons Golden Granulated Sugar
2-3 mashed ripe bananas
25g unsweetened cocoa powder
Method:
1.Preheat oven to 190°C.
2.Butter non-stick miniature muffin tray or line with paper cases.
3.In a large  bowl, combine all-purpose and whole wheat flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
4.In another bowl, whisk together sugar and cocoa; whisk in egg, milk, bananas and melted butter. Pour over dry ingredients and sprinkle with chocolate chips; stir just until moistened.
5.Spoon into a  Muffin Tray prepared with muffin tray or cases, mounding as necessary to fill 24 deep cups or 36 shallow cups.
6.Bake, in batches as necessary, for 15 to 20min or until tops are firm to the touch.
7.Cool muffins in tray for 5 min. Transfer to rack to cool completely.

Preperation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 15 – 20 minutes

Serves: 16 muffins

Once you have tried these gorgeous muffins you might like to try and make -

Fruit Tea Biscuits

Ingredients:
50g Whitworths Raisins
50g Whitworths Apricots
400g Allinson Wholemeal Plain flour
200g Président Slightly Salted Butter, chilled
125g Billington’s Golden Caster Sugar
2 egg yolks
Method:
1.Heat the oven to 180°C / gas mark 4
2.Place the flour and butter into a Kenwood Food Processor and whizz until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs
3.Add the sugar and egg yolks and whizz again until it is dough like
4.Tip onto the work surface and gently knead in the fruit
5.Cut into circles, place onto a Pyrex Non-Stick Baking Tray and bake for 10 minutes

Preperation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Serves: 16

Thanks to the National Baking Week website for all their inspiration. If you have any lovely recipes or baking tips to share with us and our visitors, please post them in the comments box below.

Enjoy your baking and remember now – don’t forget to share!

Filed under: Ideas and inspiration for your home by admin on October 15th, 2010