Recipes

Sophie Squirrel wants to know how good are you at cooking? Have a go at some of our recipes…

Some of them are for snacks you can take out on the Trail with you, some are made from ingredients you can find out on the Trail and some are made to help feed our wildlife. If you’ve any more simple recipes for snacks you can nibble whilst out and about on the Trail, please send them through for us to add to the website (remember to add your details). You many need help from an adult to make some of these and don’t forget – make sure you wash your hands before you start working with food!

Dandelion syrup

Place the flower heads of 250 Dandelions into a large pan. Add four cups of water and the juice of one freshly squeezed Lemon. Bring the mixture to boil then cover and leave to simmer for one hour. Take the pan off the heat and leave covered over night.

In the morning strain the mixture and add bag of white sugar. Boil for 1 and a half hours until reached a syrup consistency. Your syrup is now ready. Store in a tightly sealed jar in your fridge. Click here to download a copy of this recipe.

Sticky slices

Ingredients: 85g (3 oz) porridge oats, 115g (4 oz) margarine, 85g (3 oz) wholemeal flour, 55g (2 oz) dates, 115g (4 oz) sugar, 55g (2 oz) apricots, 1 tablesp. syrup and possibly apple / apricot or any other fruit you fancy

Method: Melt margarine and syrup. Add dry ingredients and make a sandwich with the fruit in a square oven tin. Bake at gas mark 4 / 180 degrees celsius for 15 – 20 minutes. Click here to download a copy of this recipe.

Date flapjacks

Ingredients: 170g (6 oz) margarine, 170g (6 oz) porridge oats, 55g (2 oz) golden syrup, 85g (3 oz) plain flour, 85g (3 oz) sugar, 225g (8 oz) chopped dates.

Method: Melt margarine and syrup together in a large saucepan and remove from heat. Mix in oats, flour and sugar. Press half the mixture evenly over the base of a greased baking tin. Lay chopped dates over the mixture and spread remaining mixture over dates.

Bake in the centre of the oven at gas number 4 / 180 degrees celsius for approximately 30 minutes. Do not burn. Cut into squares whilst still warm, cool then remove from tin. Click here to download a copy of this recipe.

Frog cakes

Ingredients: 6 fairy cakes, green food colouring, 100g (3.5 oz) icing sugar, chocolate drops / smarties for eyes and tongue, 55g (2 oz) soft butter

Method: Add the butter, icing sugar and a couple of drops of food colouring into a bown and mix with a spoon until the mixture is smooth. Spread most of your icing sugar over your fairy cakes – but leave a little for the eyes. Carefully cut out the mouth shape – you may need a grown-up to help you here, so please be careful. Add the red smarties to the mouths, so they look like they have tongues. Finally add your chocolate drops for eyes and put a little drop of icing sugar in the middle. Click here to download a copy of this recipe.

Flapjacks

Ingredients: 115g (4 oz) margarine, 1 tablespoon syrup, 115g (4 oz) sugar, 170g (6 oz) porridge oats, 55g (2 oz) self raising flour

Method: Melt the margarine and syrup but do not overheat. Mix in a bowl the sugar, oats and flour. Pour margarine mixture onto dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Place in a well greased swiss-roll tin and bake in a moderate oven gas mark 5 / 190 degrees celsius for 15 to 20 minutes until just firm. Cut into squares while still warm and leave to cool in the tin. Click here to download a copy of this recipe.

Flower ice cubes

Make some special ice-cubes for you and your friends. Pick some daisies or violets and wash them thoroughly. Cut off the flower-heads and put one into each of your ice-tray compartments. Fill the tray with water and pop into your freezer. To add something a little different why not try using some fruit, eg, blackberries or raspberries. Click here to download a copy of this recipe.

Snail snack

Ingredients: Swiss Roll, white fondant icing, Smarties, Liquorice sticks, Plate

Method: Roll a length of icing into a sausage like shape – this will be the body. Cut the liquorice stick into two pieces and stick them into the head to make the antennae. Add the smarties to the tips. Slice a piece of swiss roll and lay it on the plate on top of the snail’s body to make the shell. Why not cut some leaf shapes out of paper to decorate the plate? Click here to download a copy of this recipe.