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Children Get Stirring When Baking
Bread
(NAPSA)-A number of people have found the kitchen to be a great place to bake up family
fun. To help celebrate families that bake together, the Home Baking Association (HBA) is
designating this February as "Bake For
Family Fun Month."
"Just about every step of home baking can be fun to a kid, parent or
grandparent," says Charlene Patton, program director at HBA.
What's Fun?
For small children, the most elementary steps in bread making can be turned into an
opportunity to learn and play.
* One, Two, Three!-Measuring flour and liquids and discussing various
units of measure can serve as an early math lesson.
* The "Yeastie Beastie"-Adding and activating yeast, then
discussing what takes place, can serve as an interesting science
lesson.
* Fold, Push, Turn!-Kneading dough can be fun for kids. Also, the
tactile experience of kneading can be a productive use of a child's seemingly boundless
energy.
* Things Are Shaping Up!-The most fun for many junior bakers is shaping
the dough. The flexibility of bread dough lets children create a myriad of playful
creations-dogs, hearts, spaceships-and adding a dash of food coloring can make it even
more fun. Also, raisins can serve as eyes and noses can be made from maraschino cherries.
Parents looking to mix up the time they spend with their children may want to try
Beginner's White Bread from Fleischmann's Yeast. The recipe has a short list of
ingredients (easier for little people to work with) and can be an excellent introductory
recipe for new or young bakers.
BEGINNER'S WHITE BREAD
Ingredients
5-1/2 to 6 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 envelopes Fleischmann's RapidRise Yeast
2 teaspoons salt
1-1/2 cups water
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
In large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, sugar, undissolved yeast, and salt. Heat water, milk,
and butter until very warm (120 to 130 F); gradually add to flour mixture. Beat 2
minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in 1 cup
flour; beat at high speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in enough
remaining flour to make soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and
elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cover; let rest 10 minutes.
Divide dough in half. Roll each half to 12 x 7-inch rectangle. Beginning at short end of
each rectangle, roll up tightly as for jelly roll. Pinch seams and ends to seal. Place,
seam sides down, in greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pans. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-
free place until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
Bake at 400¡F for 25 to 30 minutes or until done. Remove from pans; cool on wire rack.
To Make Whole Wheat Bread: Substitute 2 cups whole wheat flour for part of all-purpose
flour.
For information and recipes, visit www.breadworld.com/justkids.
Kneading dough and baking bread is an activity families have been enjoying for
generations.
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