With Easter just around the corner, what could be more fun than taking time out of your busy lifestyle to relax and spend time with you children?
Most of us would not dream of having our kids help us in the kitchen but, if you're feeling brave, how about encouraging them to help you make some healthy Easter treats? There is nothing more rewarding than seeing the smile on your child's face when they realise their accomplishment.
Keep your kids busy this Easter (image source: Flickr)
Customising
You could start by making variations of the plain white loaf. Before you put the ingredients into your bread maker, get them to help knead the dough. Kids love getting their hands dirty and they love nothing more than to feel that they are being included. And, if you really want, it will help to tire them out!
Also get them to customise their bread either with extra ingredients such as raisons, cherries or herbs.
Hot Cross Buns
When you think of Easter treats you think of hot cross buns; the traditional flavour, the fruit, the spices, heated and dripping with butter. Here is a simple recipe that your little munchkins can help you to make.
125 g mixed dried fruit, such as currants, sultanas, raisins and peel Crosses
75 g ready-made pastry dough Glaze
30 ml milk
25 g caster sugar
Directions
1. Put all of the Hot Cross Bun ingredients into your break maker in the order listed, except the dried fruit.
2. Put the fruit into the "extras" tray on your bread maker.
3. Set the bread maker to Dough setting - or Raisin Dough setting if you have it. Press start.
4. If you do not have an "extras" tray, add your dried fruit when your machine alerts you or 5 minutes before the end of the kneading time.
5. Lightly grease two baking trays/sheets.
6. When the dough cycle has finished, take the dough out and place it on a lightly floured board. Knock back and shape into 12 pieces, rolling them into balls.
7. Place them on the greased baking trays/sheets and cover with a clean tea towel or lightly oiled cling film.
8. Allow them to rise for about 30-45 minutes or until doubled in size.
9. Meanwhile pre-heat the oven the 200C/400F/Gas 6.
10. Make the pastry crosses by rolling out the ready-made pastry very thinly and cutting into strips.
11. Make the glaze by heating up the milk and adding the sugar - heat them until the sugar has dissolved. Set to one side.
12. When the Hot Cross Buns are ready to bake, place two strips of pastry on each top - pressing lightly and bake for 10 - 15 minutes or until well-risen and golden brown. The buns should sound hollow when tapped underneath.
13. Brush the glaze on each bun as soon as they have been taken out of the oven and then allow to cool slightly on a wire rack.
14. Finally, smother your hot cross buns in butter and tuck in.If you wanted to jazz up the traditional hot cross bun, why not add icing instead of the cross and pop some mini eggs on top.
Here are some more quick and easy tasty treats that your little ones will love to help you whip up and eat of course!
Honey Wheat Oatmeal Bread
1 1/4 cups water 1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup honey 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup rolled oats
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups white bread flour
1 teaspoon instant yeast (or one packet).
Banana Pecan Bread
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 extra large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup sour cream 1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup mashed banana
1/3 cup pecans or 1/3 cup walnuts, finely chopped
Let me know if you come up with any more Easter recipes by commenting below.