Do You Cook with Your Child?

We love to bake, it is one of our go-to activities when we are home for the day. Sometimes I have no idea what to make (there is such a thing as too much cake!) and I never know where to look for inspiration.

We were recently sent ‘The Tickle Fingers Cookbook‘ which is one of the best childrens’ cookery books I have seen. It is written by a mother and that is what makes it brilliant! Annabel says in the introduction “If you are looking for a recipe book with innovative new recipes to wow a dinner party, this is not for you. If you want simple, tasty recipes that your toddler can cook and have fun with, then this is it.”  Perfect!!

I have been cooking with Little G since she was about 18 months old and I believe that is why she loves it so much. I know that she will be a fully competent cook by the time she leaves home- unlike myself who lived on beans on toast for 4 years!

The book is split into three sections; First Recipes, Gaining Confidence & Budding Little Chef. As you can guess, the level of difficulty increases as you progress through the book. None of the recipes are incredibly difficult but they may have more steps or require more adult prep.

Each recipe is clearly laid out, explaining and prep that needs to be done beforehand and the ingredients you will need. Each step is numbered so you know exactly what you need to and when.

What makes this cookbook different?

Something that jumped out at me straight away is how personal it seems. I felt like Annabel was right there telling me her own experiences and giving tips for each recipe. I also like that she isn’t afraid to tell you to use pre-made meringues or pastry- we need to have an easy life right?

Something else I really liked was the ingredient swap chart in the back of the book. Each recipe was listed and alternatives for dairy and egg allergies were given. As a mother of a child with a dairy allergy, that little nod to the fact we have these issues was very much appreciated.

We made the ‘Chocolate Fork Biscuits’ in the First Recipes section of the book. Little L really enjoyed using the fork although spent most of the time trying to eat the mixture. They were very easy to make and the girls happily mixed and squidged the ingredients. 9 minutes in the oven and they were ready to eat- easy! We substituted butter for some dairy free spread but they worked just fine. They weren’t the prettiest of biscuits but they were happy with their efforts and that is what is important!

Our overall impression

The recipes are fun and all three of us had fun making the biscuits. As this was the first time Little L has done any cooking it was interesting to see how easy the recipes would be for a 14 month old- but she coped well and we will be doing more cooking to include her now.

Something Annabel suggests is using a child sized table, something we haven’t got at the moment but will definitely be keeping an eye out for! Anyone know where I can buy one?

If you are wanting to do cooking with your little one then I really recommend this book, it is child and parent friendly and the recipes are delicious! I am going to be working  my way through the book so keep an eye out for future recipes on the blog!

Enjoying their tasty biscuits!

We were sent the book in return for our honest review. All words and thoughts are my own.