National Baking Week – 14th – 20th October 2023
National Baking Week will take place between 14th and 20th October 2023.
Pyrex originally founded National Baking Week in 2007 with the aim of encouraging people of all abilities to bake at home. Although Pyrex no longer run National Baking Week, the day is as popular as ever and continues to run in the UK between 14th- 20th October each year.
With Britain’s fascination with baking and cooking shows growing year on year, baking at home is as popular as ever, no matter what the level of ability. There are many reasons to bake at home, not just to eat the lovely creations:
1. Baking stimulates the senses
2.Nourishing activities feel good
3. Cooking is meditative
4. Baking is creative
5. Baking for someone else makes them feel special.
For a child baking is even more exciting and also teaches them numbers, quantities and time; and encourages social interaction with whomever they are baking. You may like to try the following biscuit recipe at home.
- 200g unsalted butter softened
- 200g golden caster sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 400g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Put the butter in a bowl and beat it with electric beaters until soft and creamy. Beat in the sugar, then the egg and vanilla, and finally the flour to make a dough. If the dough feels a bit sticky, add a little bit more flour and knead it in.
Pull pieces off the dough and roll them out to about the thickness of two £1 coins on a floured surface. The easiest way to do this with small children is to roll the mixture out on a baking mat. Cut out shapes using a 9cm biscuit cutter, or a use the rim of a small glass and peel away the leftover dough around the edges. Press some clean toys gently into the biscuits, making sure you make enough of a mark without going all the way through. Re-roll off-cuts and repeat. You should have enough dough to make 24 biscuits.
Transfer the whole mat or the individual biscuits to the baking sheet and bake for 8-10 mins or until the edges are just brown. Leave to cool for 5 mins, then serve. Will keep for three days in a biscuit tin.
