The Top hat. If it hadn’t been for my daughter I don’t think I would ever have come across these treats. Backtrack 2 years and we were still living the countryside-life in beautiful Northern Ireland. My daughter was 18 months and our son was just born. Two days a week, S. would happily trot up the street to her nursery. Some days she would come home with a painting or some sort of art project, but now and again she would present us with something that resembled a cookie or cupcake. I’m sure it took every last bit of her concentration to put the sprinkles on top of the icing. Or place the raisin in the exact spot she wanted it. It was always nearly a shame to eat her creations.
So one day she came home with one of these cute sweets. A top hat. And all it really is, is marshmallow, chocolate and smarties. And they are so easy to make. She helped make them when she was 18 months and now my 2 year old son is also loving making these fluffy creations. The perfect young toddler’s “baking” project.
Baking with kids – Top Hats
20 mini cupcake cases
100gr melted chocolate
20 big marshmallows to make top hats
(more marshmallows to taste, poke and pull apart)
20 coloured smarties
(more smarties to eat, spill and lick before sticking on the top hats)
Method
1. Melt the chocolate (parents or older kids). I prefer to melt my chocolate in a glass, heatproof bowl set on top of a saucepan with about 3 cm (1 inch) of simmering water. I take the bowl off the pan (careful, it’ll be hot) when nearly all the chocolate is melted. I then stir to melt the remainder. Set the bowl to one side to cool slightly while you and the kids get the cupcake cases ready.
2. Spoon 2-3 tbsp of melted chocolate into the cupcake cases.
3. Put a marshmallow in the middle of the chocolate filled cupcake case.
4. Use a teaspoon to put a generous drop of melted chocolate on top of the marshmallow and stick a smartie on.
5. Put all the top hats on a tray and put them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes so the chocolate cools and becomes solid again.
6. Taste and have lots of wipes/wet cloth/napkins ready because the chocolate will leave its mark.
As with all my recipes for baking with kids, have a look at my tips and tricks. In the end, you know your child best and what her or his abilities are. The important thing is to let them try things and to have fun.
Enjoy!
