One of the best tips on what to do this half-term is to keep your children busy when baking. Our Isabelle is always very happy when I announce we would be making our favourite family recipe, traditional Czech cookies. I believe despite of doing so only once a year for Christmas, they could be perfect for filling up the time when your little ones get bored. I am sharing this recipe on my blog, why don’t you give it a go?

I used to love baking and do loads before our second born daughter arrived. One of the reasons was that Isabelle loves doing so too, and that was our special time together. It took me a while before I got used to all the mess she was making, and have to admit I was always a bit more stressed about the mess than I should have, but that is just me. At the end we really enjoyed it, and I have decided we have to do more as it isn’t fair on my older daughter not to bake because mummy needs to look after her little sister.

Last week she got so excited when I asked if she wanted to help me out with making lunch, and quickly agreed. We made some turkey schnitzels and they were so yummy. I put Olivia to bed, and was watching our baby monitor to find out exactly when she fell asleep to see how much time we would have for cooking.  At the end we had plenty of time to do all the cooking without being worried our little crawler would get under our feet! There I realized this can easily become our habit and as she is getting older I should get her more and more involved in cooking and baking during Olivia’s nap time. We both will be happy as she loves being busy, and this also means helping me out. Watching her putting flour, egg and breadcrumbs on some turkey fillets was a great pleasure. She didn’t even make that much mess, and when she did, she straight away announced she would be sweeping the floor afterwards. What a good girl!

But back to sharing my family recipe. Every year my family cannot wait to bake our delicious Xmas cookies called vanilla crescents. They are very easy to make, and you will love them. I can guarantee you, once you bake them,  from that day you will always be making them as they are irresistible!

Traditional Czech Xmas Cookies “vanilla crescents” !

You will need:

• 240g plain flour
• 200g Anchor butter (at room temperature)
• 120g icing sugar
• 110g ground almonds/walnuts
• 1 vanilla sugar sachet ( or caster sugar mixed with vanilla essence or vanilla beans)

 

1. Put the flour, butter, 70g of icing sugar and ground almonds/walnuts in a large bowl and mix well into a dough.
2. As the dough is very soft, you need to leave it (covered in some cling film) in the fridge for 1.5hours to rest.
3. Preheat the oven ( 150 Degrees Celsius) and use your hands to make crescent shapes out of the dough.
4. Place some baking paper on a baking tray and put the crescent shapes on it, leaving some space in between them.
5. Bake them slowly for about 10- 15 minutes.
6. Mix the rest of the icing sugar and the vanilla sugar in a large bowl.
7. Put the hot crescents into the mixture and coat well in the sugar. They need to be hot otherwise the sugar will not stay on them.
8. Leave them to cool down on a separate plate or tray.
9. Enjoy!

My special tip!
Vanilla crescents should be stored in a box in a cool place/fridge for a few days before consumption!

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