Bake with the Family Feb

February is Bake for Family Fun Month. It is the perfect excuse to get the whole family together in the kitchen to create delicious treats and memories that will last a lifetime. Baking not only brings people together but also provides a fun and educational experience for children. They learn about measurements, following instructions, and even science as they watch ingredients transform into something yummy.

To kick off the month, why not try out this classic triple chocolate chip cookie recipe?

This is a Jane's Patisserie recipe and we LOVE her recipes!

Ingredients:

• 125 g unsalted butter
• 100 g light brown sugar
• 100 g white granulated sugar
• 1 medium egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 25 g cocoa powder
• 225 g plain flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 100 g white chocolate chips
• 100 g milk chocolate chips
• 100 g dark chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 180C/160C Fan/375F and line two-four baking trays with parchment paper. Mine are quite large trays (40cm) to make sure the cookies don't touch!
2. Mix together the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy and thoroughly combined! Using an electric mixer is far easier for this because it gets very fluffy and perfect!
3. Mix in the vanilla and the egg until thoroughly combined, then mix in the cocoa powder, flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and salt until a thick paste/cookie dough is formed.
4. Fold in the chocolate chips, and spoon the mixture onto the trays and make sure they are suitable spread out so they stay separate! (I usually fit 6-8 on each tray to be safe) I also use a 5cm cookie dropper/ice cream scoop to make them identical sizes.
5. Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes until spread out perfectly crinkly. A minute or so less will be gooey, a minute or two more will be beautiful and crunchy.
6. Once baked, remove from the oven and gobble them all up - don't burn yourself on the chocolate!
7. As you bake with your family, be sure to capture these special moments with your camera. Take photos of everyone working together in the kitchen, measuring ingredients, and of course, the finished product. You can also snap some candid shots of your kids' faces as they taste the treats they worked so hard to make.  These pictures make a beautiful addition to your family albums.

Other fun recipes to try include:

1. Homemade pizza - this allows everyone to get creative with their toppings and makes for a fun family dinner - this is one of our faves to do! We use this Jamie Oliver recipe, can you tell I like his the best.
2. Cupcakes - decorate with buttercream and sprinkles for a colourful and tasty treat. These are one of the most simple we do at home, if you would like the recipe we use let me know and I'll add that next.
3. Apple Crumble - the best dessert for after a roast on a Sunday and oh so easy to bake.

Baking is not only a great way to bond with your family, but it also provides a sense of accomplishment when you see the finished product. So, gather your loved ones, preheat the oven, and have a blast during Bake with the Family Feb Fun Month!