Can you believe that Christmas is right around the corner? This year has flown by. We know that children love helping in the kitchen and always want to make a treat for Santa so here are some simple yet effective ideas for Christmas Cooking with the Kids

Snowman Marshmallow Pops

• 375g white chocolate buttons or candy melts
• 1-2 tsp vegetable oil
• 250g (2 pkts) white marshmallows
• mini M&M’s and licorice straps (to decorate)
• You will also need:18 cake pop sticks or bamboo skewers

1. Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Once melted, stir through vegetable oil until smooth.
2. Thread three marshmallows onto each cake pop stick or skewer.
3. Dip marshmallows into melted chocolate to coat. Allow excess chocolate to drip away.
4. Before chocolate sets completely, decorate using mini M&M’s for the eyes, nose and buttons, and slivers of licorice for the mouths. You can even add a set of earmuffs if you like.

Rudolph Pancakes

• 1 cup (250ml) milk
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 cup (150g) self-raising flour
• 2 tbsp butter
• 4 rashers streaky bacon
• 4 white marshmallows
• 8 dark choc chips
• 4 strawberries

1. Make a basic pancake batter by whisking together milk and egg in a large bowl. Sift over flour and whisk until smooth.
2. Melt 2 teaspoons butter in a large frypan. Pour in batter to form one large circle, one smaller circle and two triangles for ears. Cook for a couple of minutes until bubbles form, flip and cook for a further minute until cooked through. Remove and keep warm. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
3. Cut bacon rashers in half and cook until crisp. To arrange Rudolph, place the large pancake on a plate. Place smaller pancake on top. Position rashers for antlers and the triangular pancakes for ears. Decorate with marshmallow eyes and strawberry nose.
4. Cut marshmallows in half. Press a choc chip into the centre of each half.

Chocolate Christmas Trees

Ingredients:

•  250g butter, softened
•  1/2 cup icing sugar
•  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•  1 egg, at room temperature
•  2 1/2 cups plain flour
•  1/2 cup cornflour
•  1/3 cup cocoa powder
•  1 tablespoon milk
•  200g milk chocolate, melted
•  100g white chocolate, melted
•  Mini M&Ms, to decorate

Method:

1. Using an electric hand mixer, beat butter, sugar and vanilla until pale and creamy. Add egg. Beat until well combined.
2. Sift flour and cornflour over butter mixture. Add cocoa and milk. Stir well. Divide in half. Press each half into a disc. Wrap each disc in baking paper. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 160°C. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Roll each disc out between 2 sheets of baking paper to 3mm-thick.
4. Use a 12cm-long tree-shaped biscuit cutter to cut 12 biscuits from each circle of dough. Place onto trays. Refrigerate for 15 minutes or until firm. Bake for 15 minutes or until firm to touch. Stand for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
5. Spread milk chocolate over flat side of each biscuit. Press 1 paddle pop stick onto 12 biscuits. Sandwich together with remaining biscuits. Refrigerate until firm.
6. Spoon white chocolate into a snap-lock bag. Snip off 1 corner. Pipe a zigzag pattern over trees. Decorate with M&Ms. Allow to set. Store in an airtight container.

Recipes found via Taste and Kidspot