Ellie's Epic Bake Off

When your Granny* is a legend in the kitchen....

(I mean, Ellie's Granny* makes cakes like this!)

and you fancy a half term bake off...this is what results!

(* Yes, Granda Ken, you are fairly spectacular in the kitchen too)

* * * *

After semi-hysterical hand washing, the junior bakers were suitably attired in their kitchen scrubs (chef's hats and aprons all around) 

and presented with their baking tools (mixing bowl, pastry brush, rolling pin and wooden spoon).

Then they set to work on their first recipe, chocolate truffles...

It was messy work...but they all enjoyed getting their hands dirty...

VERY DIRTY!

It took quite a bit of effort to get the hands clean, first you had to scrape the truffle off and then...

...you had to smear it around the sink as you washed your hands!

Then it was time to get even messier, making raspberry ruffles!

The bakers employed various methods of cleaning their hands....

...but they once again determined that the best method was to smear the excess coconut around the taps!

Then it was time to create something savoury, so the pastry was passed out...

Then the pastry was rolled out...

Then the pastry was cut out...

... to finally be put into a baking tay and filled with onion, tomato, cheese and egg...

(Some quiches were filled slightly more than others....see below!)

Then as the quiches cooked it was off to destroy decorate in another room

There were cake monsters, shortbread biscuits, buns and cake pops all waiting to be decorated with a myriad of sprinkles and toppings...

(Once decorated, some were too tasty to leave)

Once your decorating was done and you had filled your goodie box...

(and made a mess!)

It was time for some colouring and puzzles...

...while you waited for the quiches to cook.

At this point, the girls discovered "Ellie's Pop Up Bakery"

(with the cake!)

I think it is safe to say that all of her guests LOVED their bake off....all of their mummy and daddys who came for dinner really appreciated the kitchen craftsmanship too...but most of all, and most importantly, Ellie loved her bake-off.

(But I suspect she loves her Granny more.)

You can watch the devastation baking by clicking HERE

A Perfect Pizza Party

Leah's guide to hosting a perfect pizza party in 30 easy steps.

1.  Curl your hair like Miss Blain. (you may need a special Christmas present order to do this)

2.  Make sure all your guests have sticker sheets and colouring in pages.

3.  Allow them to get creative with their stickers.

4.  Wash your hands.

(no photos in the bathroom!)

5.  Get dressed in aprons and chef's hats.

6.  Number your hat to match your pizza.

7.  Doodle in the flour beside your dough.

7.  Listen carefully to the pizza chef when she gives your instructions.

8.  Stand up straight and get ready to start.

9.  Shape your dough to be like a "fried egg".

10.  Get "big cook" to help as required.

11.  Flip your "egg" over and get ready to slap it flat.

12.  Slap it really hard!

13.  Now stretch it out.

14.  Toss it in the air (if you're brave enough!)

15.  Pop it in a pizza pan. make a crust and use gravity to spread out your passata.

16.  This will show the quality of your crusts.

17.  Get ready for the toppings!

18.  Pepperoni is popular.

19.  Don't worry too much about the toppings....just pop on what your like.

20.  Don't worry about the floor either.

21.  Well done, you've prepared a perfect pizza!

22.  Now off to wash your hands again.

23.  If all that playing with food  cooking has given you an appetite, enjoy some dough balls.

24.  Remember to eat your veggies too.

25.  Wow!  Look at your pizza!

26. Now tuck in!

27.  You might have to show off your beautiful Auntie Christine to your friends.

28.  Then it's time for Happy Birthday 

and

29.  Don't forget the birthday cake.

30. But be warned, there may be one or two boxes of leftovers to take home

You can watch the party HERE