Kid-Friendly Treats

Cheesy mini ketchup scones

ingredients:

225g self-raising flour
1 tsp cream of tartar
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
pinch of sea salt
50g unsalted butter, diced and chilled
1 heaped tbsp tomato ketchup
50g cheddar cheese, grated
130–150ml full-fat milk
plain flour for dusting
1 egg, beaten with 1 tbsp milk
1 tbsp grated cheddar cheese or 1 tsp sesame seeds for the topping
You will also need a 5cm plain round cutter and a baking tray lined with baking paper

method:
Preheat the oven to 220ºC.

Sift the flour, cream of tartar, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large mixing bowl.

Rub in the butter with the tips of your fingers until the mixture looks like fine sand.

Add the ketchup and cheese. Slowly add enough milk to bring the dough together, using a table knife to do so.

Turn out the dough onto a floured work surface and give it a little knead for about 20 seconds. Don’t overwork the dough, as this will make the scones heavy.

Roll out to a thickness of 2–3cm and cut into rounds using the cutter. Place on the lined baking tray, in two tight rows of five so that they are just touching.

Brush with the egg wash and sprinkle with either the grated cheddar or sesame seeds.

Bake for 12 minutes on the middle shelf of the preheated oven, until well risen and golden. Cool on a wire rack and serve warm.

Lemon and white chocolate muffins

ingredients:
280g self-raising flour
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp baking powder
160g caster sugar
90g unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg
finely grated zest and juice of 1 large (or 2 small) lemons
300ml milk
150g white chocolate bar, roughly chopped
1–2 tbsp demerara sugar
You will also need a 12-hole muffin tin lined with paper cases

method:
Preheat the oven to 180ºC.

Combine the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and caster sugar in a large bowl and make a well in the centre.

In a jug, whisk together the melted butter, egg, lemon juice and zest and add the milk.

Pour the wet ingredients and chopped chocolate into the well in the dry ingredients, and fold together using a large metal spoon until just combined.

Divide the batter between the muffin cases and sprinkle the top of each with the demerara sugar.

Bake on the middle shelf of the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes until well risen, golden brown and a skewer inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean. Cool and serve

Triple-chocolate cookies

ingredients:
200g unsalted butter, softened
325g light soft brown sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
400g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
pinch of sea salt
70g dark chocolate, chopped into small chunks
70g milk chocolate, chopped into small chunks
70g white chocolate, chopped into small chunks
You will also need 2–3 baking sheets lined with baking paper

method:
Preheat the oven to 170ºC

Cream the butter and sugar together in the bowl of a free-standing mixer until pale, light and fluffy. If you don’t have a free-standing mixer you can use an electric hand whisk.

Gradually add the beaten eggs, mixing well between each addition.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, add the vanilla and mix again.

Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt into the bowl and mix again until thoroughly combined.

Fold the three chocolates into the cookie dough.

Use an ice-cream scoop or large spoon to scoop out the dough in even-sized mounds.

Place 3–4 cookies on each baking sheet, allowing plenty of space in-between as they will spread during cooking.

Bake the cookies in batches on the middle shelf of the preheated oven for about five minutes.

Remove from the oven and sharply bang the baking tray on the work surface to deflate the cookies and then return to the oven for a further 5–7 minutes until pale golden brown.

Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for five minutes before transferring to wire racks until cold.