I hope my three boys will grow up to be a new-age guy aka 新好男人! Other than baking & cooking with them during their free time, it creates great bonding for the family too.
My little chefs headstarted their home-econ lessons right from young with staple of imaginative "kitchen wares" and nurturing through play-and-learn.
As children love to emulate adults, masak-masak time provides great learning tools for pretend play. As they are older now, they put their imiginative play into real practise in the kitchen be it cooking up a meal, whipping up a cake or simply lending me a hand that forms part of their growing-years memories.
I have some fast and easy to whip recipes whenever i get my boys to involve in the fun. This French Almond Cake is one from the many. With just some weighing and stirring, this cake is ready for our afternoon tea with some excitment anticipation.
We had this between our play time. One for you, one for me...
My youngest boy of 3 years old is my little assistant in the kitchen. He "cooks" for me rather often! He's probably serving me strawberry jam with french fries today?
Back to the high-light for today is this traditional sponge cake flavoured with ground almond delicately reminiscent of another teatime treat from France. Buttery, moist with the fragrance from the ground almond. This cake goes well with coffee or tea. It simply proves that a cake can be just as luscious yet simple as this without compromising the taste.
French Almond Cake
Ingredients:
110g Unsalted Butter (softened)
150g Caster sugar
3 Large eggs (beaten)
90g Ground almonds
40g Self-raising Flour
1tbsp milk or Kirsch
1tbsp flaked almonds (for sprinkling)
icing sugar (for dusting)
Method:
1. Greased and base-lined a 20cm diameter cake tin
2. Preheat oven to 180deg C
3. Put butter, sugar and eggs in a large bowl.
4. Add in the almonds, flour and milk, beat till light & fluffy
5. Spoon into the prepared tin and spread evenly.
6. Sprinkle the flaked almonds over the top of batter
7. Bake in preheated oven for about 30-35mins or until sponge springs back when pressed.
8. Run a round bladed knife around the inside edge of the tin to loosen the sponge
9. Turn out cake onto a wire rack and let cool.
10. Dust with icing sugar before serving.
11. Store in an airtight tin and eat with 5 days
Recipe reference: Easy Cakes by Linda Collister
Enjoy!
Jessie
Boys playing masak masak!!!
ReplyDeleteI've never seen this, but this is good.
I love the toy mixer.
My girls love to spill all the masak onto the floor and pick as they choose.
So tiring to pick up everything everytime.
The cake's crumb look so nice and tight.
My kids love to play with the cooking set, including my son. I told them it's ok to mess it up when they play but when it's time to pack up, they better pack up fast else I'll confiscate and keep their toys in the storeroom.
ReplyDeleteAnd you know what? My 2.5 yo helps me most in the kitchen too! I wonder why the youngest is the most helpful/hardworking among the lot.
Oh, forgot to mention, you are a great mom to train your boys into 新好男人. At least next time they can help out their wives ;-)
ReplyDeleteWendy: Yes! I'm often their guest when they "cook" up a feast and invites me for their party. I'm hoping one of them can become a chef one day hehe...
ReplyDeleteBlessed Homemaker: My two older ones much prefer to cook/bake with the real utencils. Hence, the play set passed down to their little bro. Rather similar, my youngest helps me the most in the kitchen.
when my gal was young, my son used to play masak masak with her too. My nephew also gotten a "kitchen" last year and having a good time with it.
ReplyDeleteWah, your son really hv a "complete" set of "kitchen" ya, you name it, he has it ^_^
ReplyDeleteedith: Seems like boys enjoy just as much!
ReplyDeleteneyeeloh: ya, better than my real kitchen!
Jessie, you have such wonderful thinking, your future DILs are so blessed! My gal is still availble leh hahaha....
ReplyDeleteJess, i have three sons for you to choose lol!
ReplyDeleteJessie, you're doing the right thing!! HAHA! I'd consider you now as a pioneer in initiating the 新好男人 bootcamp. LOL! Do you know it's still rather hard to find 好男人 now, especially of my generation? LOL! Those around me are mostly 大男人主義者. Absolutely out of my way. HAHA!
ReplyDeleteOh, my masak-masak set wasn't as complete as your boys' is. I love the toy mixer, too!
Yup, a lot of times, simplicity is the best and most beautiful thing on earth. =)
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ReplyDeleteHi Jessie,
ReplyDeleteI baked this cake, cant resist the temptation!! :) Posted and link to you at my blog. :)
The cake looks very good and the masak-masak is so cute.
ReplyDeleteI admire the ur bonding with ur sons.
hanushi: Hope you like it as much as we do :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link.
My two boys also grew up playing with cooking sets!!! I am always the 'one and only' customer of their restaurant...besides menu, they have discount cards and even provide home deliveries. My niece even trained and certified my younger boy before he was allowed to serve the customer ;)
ReplyDelete