Hi pidget. What about them making Gingerbread Men?
The adult should make the dough first, which is cooled, then chilled in the fridge until ready to make the little men.
1. Lightly grease a baking sheet
2. Using a glass measuring jug, measure out 2 Fluid Ounces of Syrup. Use a spatula to transfer the syrup to a small pan. Add one and a half ounces of Butter, one ounce of Sugar, a quarter of a teaspoon of Bicarbonate of Soda, and three quarters of a teaspoon of Powdered Ginger.
3. Melt this, whilst stirring, over a gentle heat. As the butter starts to melt, take it off the heat, but keep stirring until all the butter has melted. At this stage, it should look like melted toffee.
4. Add Four ounces of Self Raising Flour and mix it really well. It will come together as a very soft dough. It is too soft to work with at this stage, so tip the dough out into a bowl and leave until it has cooled right down. When it is cold, cover the bowl with cling film and put it in the fridge.
5. When you are ready to make your men, preheat the oven to Gas Mark 3 with the shelf in the centre of the oven.
6. Now get the children to help.
7. Flour a board, roll out the COLD dough (not too thin) and stamp out the gingerbread men (this recipe makes about six) and let them decorate them, make currant eyes, buttons etc.
8. Carefully transfer them onto the baking sheet and cook for about 10 minutes until lightly golden. Leave for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack as they will be very soft when they come out of the oven but firm up as they cool.