Obviously Rian and I are becoming famous for our cooking exploits. So famous in fact that Rian has been sent his very own marvellous adventure in cookbook form! Mission Cookpossible – Rian’s Mr Glue Series Stories. This book was written by Amelia Thorne and illustrated by Jose Fragoso, ‘Mission Cookpossible’ is a fully-personalised, professionally printed cookery book where every child can be the main character. It’s time to escape from the grip of a dastardly enemy who wants our hero to make him and his friends afternoon tea and supper. The fiend!
Rian loves anything that appears to be about him, so this went down a storm. And there are so many recipes! Colonel Crackpot’s Not So Dastardly Dropscones, Dr Sock’s Pizza Performance, Lady Gertrude’s Ripping Raspberry Jam – even Tomato Soup A La Facon de Clorabella Swish. Indeed! There are seven Afternoon Tea recipes and eight Supper ones – plenty to be getting on with.
Because Rian is five, there was no chance I was going to get him to cook something savoury while there were cake recipes in front of him – Florinda’s Berry Butterfly Cakes it is then!
The recipe was nice an easy to follow – weigh three eggs, and match the weight to your butter, self raising flour and sugar. Only I didn’t have any self raising, so I attempted to make some using a few teaspoons of baking powder in plain flour. This *may* have been a mistake…
As always, I let Rian do everything himself. This usually results in a catastrophic mess and a few bits of broken shell, but that is all part of learning to cook. I want him to be able to bake a simple cake for himself and his friends by the time he is ten, and he can already manage the basics by himself with guidance and a steadying hand now and then – though he’s not allowed near the oven yet!
We made the mix, and spooned it into the cases. This is where I made mistake number 2 – I couldn’t find our muffin tin. Oh well, I thought, surely a baking tray will be fine!
Errr…..
So, our cakes turned out to be slightly more pancake than one needs them to be when attempting fairy cakes, because there was no top to chop to turn into little wings. They were still delicious though, so I decided Rian could pick the neatest, less exploded one and decorate it with some icing and sprinkles instead!
So while we failed at the recipe (entirely my fault for incorrect ingredients and equipment – more organising needed next time!) we still had a lovely time together. Cooking is such a brilliant way to spend constructive time with your kids, it’s a life long skill and well worth the mess. And you get to eat cake!
The Mission Cookpossible book is great because as well as being a personalised cookbook, you are also part of a story which really brings it all to life. You can order your own at http://mrgluestories.com and if you use the code FLAPJACK by the end of October, you’ll get 10% off. This would make a lovely Christmas present!
Ahhh I loved cooking with my mum and can’t wait to do the same with my little one. This book sounds good for getting kids excited by it – what kind of age range does it best suit? #kcacols
Aww that sounds brilliant! What a great idea. And it looks like you had loads of fun making the recipes too. Thanks so much for linking with #KCACOLS. We hope you come back next week.
That book sounds brilliant! And I think your cakes still came out looking yummy! x #KCACOLS
Yummers! #kcacols
These look great, baking with your parents is always good fun, I remember doing it in my childhood! #KCACOLS
This is wicked I have never heard of a personalised cookbook?! I love this boys smile its just huge and I am seriously impressed that he can manage most of the cooking with just guidance…Leo is frigging deadly and eats most of the mixture when we attempt to bake (sticking the licked spook back into the bowl) Rian is obviously going to kick ass at life with you as his mummy..I am hoping Leo will put on his own socks by 10..eyeroll…kid trade? Thanks for linking up to #KCACOLS lovely xx