Desserts

This lemon ginger cheesecake recipe is great for special occasions and actually pretty easy to do.  You might want to use light cream cheese to make it a little healthier.  Remember to always follow the Kitchen Monsters Code when you’re in the kitchen!

Ingredients: 150g x ginger biscuits, 3 x tbsp butter, 500g x cream cheese, 50g x icing sugar, 4 x tbsp lemon curd
Special Equipment: Mixing bowl, rolling pin, freezer/sandwich bag, spoon, kitchen scales, individual glasses to serve

Add the ginger biscuits to the freezer bag and give them a bash with the rolling pin until they’re nice and crushed
Melt the butter in the microwave and add the crushed biscuits – give them a good mix together
Divide the mixture between the glasses making sure you press down firmly to form a base
Measure out the cream cheese and the icing sugar and mix together
Spoon the mixture into each glass on top of the biscuit base
Place the glasses into the fridge to set
After about an hour, gently melt the lemon curd then pour it out onto the top of each cheesecake – tilt the glass slightly to ensure it covers the whole top
Place them back into the fridge until ready to serve!

Get the Kids Involved: Looking out the ingredients and equipment, measuring out the ingredients, crushing the biscuits, mixing the cream cheese and the icing sugar, pouring over the lemon curd

Kitchen Monster Tip:  Make sure you hold the end of the freezer bag when you’re crushing the biscuits to stop them going everywhere!
Difficulty: 

Want to evoke the party spirit at Halloween but don’t want to go to the hassle of a full sized pumpkin?  The you’ll love this recipe for mini jelly pumpkins – the jelly looks like mushed brains! Remember to always follow the Kitchen Monsters Code when you’re in the kitchen!

Ingredients: 4 x large oranges, 1 x packet jelly
Special Equipment: Small sharp knife, spoon, measuring jug

Make up the jelly according to the packet instructions and leave to set in the fridge
Carefully slice the top off each orange to make a lid
Scoop out the flesh of the oranges until you’r left with hollow oranges
Carefully carve a scary Halloween face into the front of the oranges, just like pumpkin lanterns
Remove the jelly from the fridge and give it a good stir round to break it all up
Scoop the mashed up jelly into the oranges – this makes it look like the brains!
Keep in the fridge until ready to eat then stick in a spoon and serve!

Get the Kids Involved: Breaking up the jelly cubes, scooping out the orange flesh, deciding what face to carve, mashing up the jelly and scooping it into the pumpkin heads

Kitchen Monster Tip:  Don’t throw the orange flesh away – serve it with yoghurt for your breakfast!
Difficulty: 

We love shortbread but this Raspberry Shortcake recipe for kids takes it one step further.  It’s a bit fiddly but it will be well worth the extra work when you taste it!  Remember to always follow the Kitchen Monsters Code when you’re in the kitchen!

Ingredients: 200g x plain flour, 25g x corn flour, 75g x caster sugar, 3 x tbsp muscovado sugar, pinch of salt, 150g x unsalted butter, 150g x raspberries, 125g x raspberry jam, 50g x oats
Special Equipment: Deep sided baking tray, food processor, mixing bowl, kitchen scales

Add the caster sugar, flour, corn flour, salt and butter to the food processor and pulse into a breadcrumb consistency
Remove and set aside about 100g worth and tip the remaining mixture into the baking tray and spread out to cover the base, pressing down to form a layer of shortcake
Bake for 10 minutes then remove and set aside to cool
Mix the raspberries and jam together and spread over the shortcake layer
Add the muscovado sugar, oats and remaining mixture to a bowl and rub together with your finger tips to forma breadcrumb style mixture
Spread over the layer of jam and return to the oven
Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until the topping become a lovely golden brown colour
Remove from the oven and set aside to cool

Get the Kids Involved: Looking out and weighing the ingredients, spreading the shortcake into the tin, mixing the raspberries and jam, setting the timer, spreading on the jam, rubbing the topping

Kitchen Monster Tip:  Leave to cool completely before cutting into squares, it’ll make it much easier
Difficulty: 

Okay you need to freeze the bananas first in this quick banana ice cream recipe for kids so it’s not exactly instant but this really is a quick alternative to ice cream.  You won’t believe how creamy this tastes until you’ve tried it.    Remember to always follow the Kitchen Monsters Code when you’re in the kitchen!

Ingredients: 3 x bananas, 1 x tbsp natural yoghurt, 1 x tsp vanilla essence
Special Equipment: Blender, baking tray, knife, measuring spoon, glasses and spoon to serve

Peel the bananas, slice them into chunks and place onto a baking tray and freeze for at least 3 hours or overnight
Take the bananas out of the freezer and place them into the blender
Add the yoghurt and vanilla flavouring
Blend well until smooth
Serve in a glass with a spoon

Get the Kids Involved: Peeling and chopping the bananas, measuring out the yoghurt and vanilla, transferring to the glasses

Kitchen Monster Tip:  You may need pause a few times during blending to give the mixture a mix to ensure you get rid of all the lumps
Difficulty:

We originally saw a version of this on a Jamie Oliver programme and there isn’t much not to like about it.  Try this Pancake Stack Cake recipe for kids if you need a dessert in a hurry!  Can you stack them all without it tipping over? Remember to always follow the Kitchen Monsters Code when you’re in the kitchen!

Ingredients: 6 x medium pancakes (the thicker american style), 1 x standard tub of double cream, 1 x large bar of chocolate
Special Equipment: Microwaveable bowl, plate or chopping board, a second bowl for the cream, knife or spoon for spreading

Whip up the cream until it’s nice and thick
Melt the chocolate in the microwave until it’s free of lumps
Place your first pancake down and spread with chocolate
Place another on top and spread with cream
Keep going until you’ve used all your pancakes
Spread the top and outsides with the remaining cream
Decorate with a little grated chocolate
Leave in the fridge until ready to serve – best made on day of eating

Get the Kids Involved: Measuring out the ingredients, pouring over the chocolate, spreading on the cream, stacking the pancakes, cleaning up after!

Kitchen Monster Tip:  Put a little cream underneath the first pancake – this will act as glue and keep it in place a little better
Difficulty:

There’s no need to buy expensive ice lollies through summer when it’s so much fun making up your own.  Try our Strawberry, Mango and Kiwi Ice Lollies Recipe or think up your own flavours!  Remember to always follow the Kitchen Monsters Code when you’re in the kitchen!

Ingredients: 3 x kiwi fruit, 1 x mango, 8 x large strawberries, 3 x tsp icing sugar, 3 x tsp lemon juice, 1 x small tub yogurt
Special Equipment: Ice lolly moulds, blender (or just mush them up with a fork), sieve, ladle, measuring spoon, bowls

Cut the stalks off the strawberries and whizz them up in your blender with a tsp of icing sugar and a tsp of lemon juice
Use the ladle to push the strawberries through the seive into a bowl and set to one side
Repeat the same process for the mango (peeling and chopping the mango first)
Scoop out the kiwi flesh, whizz it up but you can skip the sieving bit for these
Then you just need to start layering up the ice lolly moulds – put in a layer of strawberries then a layer of yogurt, a layer of strawberries and a final layer of yogurt
Repeat for the kiwi and the mango
Place into the freezer for a minimum of 3 hours, until they have set solid
Slurp and enjoy!

Get the Kids Involved: Picking the flavours, mushing up the fruit, filling up the moulds, placing into the freezer, checking to see if they’re set, slurping them!

Kitchen Monster Tip:  Run the lollies under a little warm water to help them release from the moulds
Difficulty:

If you grow rhubarb in your garden (and if you don’t then you should try it, it’s really easy!) then every April you’ll probably have loads of rhubarb to get through. Our Rhubarb Crumble recipe for kids is a simple and delicious way to serve it up. Remember to always follow the Kitchen Monsters Code when you’re in the kitchen!

Ingredients: 500g x rhubarb (about 5 large sticks), 5 x tbsp caster sugar, pinch of ginger, 30g x porridge oats, 150g x plain white flour, 80g x brown demerara sugar, 80g x butter
Special Equipment: Large saucepan, chopping board, knife, measuring spoon, mixing bowl, kitchen scales, large oven proof dish

Pre-heat the oven to 180C
Remove the top and bottom of the rhubarb and give it a good wash under the tap
Cut into 3cm chunks and add to the saucepan with the caster sugar and ginger
Heat on the hob for about 10 mins or until the rhubarb has softened
Transfer the stewed rhubarb to the oven proof dish and set to one side
Measure the oats, flour, brown sugar and butter into the mixing bowl
Using your fingers, rub the mixture together until it forms a crumble
Pour over the top of the rhubarb
Bake for 30 minutes or until the crumble turns golden brown
Serve with custard or ice cream and enjoy!

Get the Kids Involved: Pulling (picking) the rhubarb and washing it; chopping the rhubarb up; adding the sugar and stirring the rhubarb as it cooks; weighing out the crumble ingredients; rubbing them into a crumble; assembling the rhubarb crumble; cleaning up after!
Kitchen Monster Tip: You can freeze the cooked rhubarb and uncooked crumble mix separately in freezer bags and then make your own mini-crumble whenever you fancy!
Difficulty:

Yes, you can buy Hot Cross Buns in every supermarket in the run up to Easter but where’s the fun in that?  You’ll miss out on the lovely baking smells and the chance of eating one while it’s still warm!  Treat yourself with our Hot Cross Buns recipe for kids.  Remember to always follow the Kitchen Monsters Code when you’re in the kitchen!

Ingredients: 480g x strong bread flour, 1 x tsp salt, 28g x dried yeast, 2 x tbsp butter, 100g x sugar, 1/2 tsp x cinnamon, 1/2 tsp x nutmeg, 1 x egg, 240ml x warm water, 220g x raisins (also 120g x plain flour and 4 x tbsp water for the cross and some honey for the glaze)
Special Equipment: Mixing bowl, kitchen scales, spoon, baking tray, cling film

Mix the warm water and the dried yeast together and pour into your bowl
Add the flour, salt, egg, butter, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and mix well until all the ingredients are combined
Transfer onto a floury work surface and knead well for about 10 minutes(!) – this is really important, if you don’t do it for long enough then you’ll end up with really solid buns
If the mixture is too sticky then add more flour
Add the raisins and knead for another couple of minutes or until they’re evenly distributed
Place back into the bowl, cover with cling film and leave for an hour in a warm place – this allows the dough to start rising
After the hour is up, give it a knead for 30 seconds then cut into 16 evenly sized pieces
Give them a roll between your hands and place onto a greased baking tray
Cover them with more cling film and leave again for about 30 minutes
Mix the plain flour with the water and pour into your plastic bag then snip the corner off so you’ve got a homemade piping bag
Draw crosses on each of the buns then bake them in a pre heated oven (220C / 200Fan / 425F / G7) for about 20 minutes, turning the baking tray round after about 15 minutes
As soon as you take them out of the oven, give them all a generous coating of honey over the top to give them a shiny, sticky glaze

Kitchen Monster Tip:  We can’t emphasise the kneading stage enough – the more you knead it the lighter they will end up! Difficulty: (only because of the amount of kneading required!)

A delicious, warming pudding that’s perfect for winter evenings, our Baked Apple and Raisin recipe for kids is worth a try.  Remember to always follow the Kitchen Monsters Code when you’re in the kitchen!

Ingredients: (serves 4) 4 x apples, 6 x ginger biscuits, 1/4 cup x plain flour, 1/4 tsp x cinnamon, 30g x butter, 30g x raisins
Special Equipment: Baking tray, apple corer, knife, mixing bowl

Preheat the oven to 170c
Add the butter and flour to the mixing bowl and rub together until you have crumbs
Crush up the ginger biccies and add them to the flour mixture along with the raisins and mix together
Carefully slice the top off the apple and cut out the core
Place on the baking tray, stuff the empty core and cover the top of the apple with the crumble mixture
Bake for about 20 minutes or until the crumble turns golden brown and the apple softens
Serve and enjoy!

Kitchen Monster Tip: Serve while still warm with custard!
Difficulty:

If you’re looking for an easy pudding that tastes delicious then look no further. Remember to always follow the Kitchen Monsters Code when you’re in the kitchen!

Ingredients: puff pastry, lemon curd, a red apple
Equipment: baking tray, knife, rolling pin

Pre-heat the oven to 180C
Roll out the puff pastry until it’s about half a cm thick
Cut into rectangles, 1 for each person
Score a border around the edge of each rectangle (about 1-2cm wide)
Spread some lemon curd into the middle section of each serving
Cut the apple into thin slices and place on top of the lemon curd
Place onto the baking tray and cook for about 15 minutes or until the pastry turns golden brown
Serve and enjoy!

Kitchen Monster Tip:Dust a little icing sugar over the top before serving to make it look nice

Get the Kids Involved: Rolling out the pastry; spreading on the lemon curd; placing the apple slices; cleaning up after!
Difficulty: