Holiday baking for kids

CHOCOLATE COCONUT BARS

Makes 24-30 squares

400g biscuits, crumbed

60ml sugar

150-180g butter, melted

100g pecan nuts, chopped

250ml white and dark chocolate chips

250ml chopped cherries

397g can of condensed milk

375ml medium shredded coconut

Combine the biscuits and sugar and stir in enough butter to bring the crumbs together. Press onto the base of a 20x30cm baking pan. Bake at 180?C for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

Sprinkle with pecan nuts, chocolate chips and cherries. Pour over the condensed milk and scatter over the coconut. Return to the oven for a further 10-15 minutes until coconut is golden and toasted.

Remove and cool completely before cutting into squares.

BANANA SQUARES

Makes 15 squares

125g butter, softened

125g light brown sugar

2 eggs

4 ripe bananas, mashed

500ml flour

5ml bicarbonate of soda

5ml baking powder

pinch of salt

50-60ml buttermilk

Icing

80g butter

125g smooth cream cheese

5ml vanilla essence

500ml icing sugar, sifted

buttermilk to mix

Beat the butter and sugar with a wooden spoon until creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the bananas.

Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and salt and add to the creamed mixture with enough buttermilk to make a thick dropping consistency.

Spread the mixture into a greased 22cm square pan and bake at 180?C for 20-30 minutes until firm. Remove from oven and cool completely. When cool, remove from the pan and top with icing.

Icing: Cream the butter and cream cheese. Add vanilla and icing sugar to make a spreadable icing. If necessary add a little buttermilk.

RAINBOW CUPCAKES

Makes 18

125g butter

250ml castor sugar

2 eggs

5ml vanilla essence

500ml flour

10ml baking powder

160-180ml milk

pink, yellow and green food colouring

Butter icing

125g butter

500ml icing sugar, sifted

50-60ml milk

Cream butter and sugar well. Add the eggs and beat well. Add vanilla.

Sift flour and baking powder and add to the creamed mixture with enough milk to make a soft dropping consistency.

Divide mixture into three parts. Colour each with a few drops of pink, yellow and green colouring .

Using a teaspoon, put a spoonful of each colour into paper-lined cupcakes. Bake at 180?C for 20 minutes. Remove and, when cool, top with butter icing.

Icing: Cream butter and sugar together and add enough milk to make a spreadable consistency.

For a decorative touch pop each cupcake into a cupcake wrapper.

Popular overseas, cupcake wrappers are now being made in South Africa. A wonderful selectionis available from Cakes and Cookies in Knysna. See www.cakesandcookies.co.za to order online or contact Terry Cohen at 076 892 0959.

DECORATED CHOCOLATE EGGS

a selection of hollow chocolate eggs

2 egg whites

500-600ml sifted icing sugar

food colouring of various colours

disposable icing bags

sweets, icing flowers and coloured or silver dragees to decorate

Using a hot knife, carefully cut the chocolate egg in half at the join. Place onto baking paper on a tray.

Icing: Lightly whip the egg whites and add enough icing sugar to make a stiff icing. Beat well until smooth.

Divide the icing into 4-5 small bowls and colour each one with a few drops of different food colouring.

Spoon into an icing bag and pipe decoratively onto the eggs.

Decorate with sweets, flowers and dragees.

Allow the icing to dry.

• This article was originally published on page 12 of The Star on March 29, 2010

Source : Babynet