Finger Food Friday-Rusks

I’ve mentioned before that weaning MM onto solid food has been entirely baby-led with no puréeing or spoon feeding on our part. 


It has been fantastic not to have to spend time steaming and mushing vegetables and I’ve used this extra time to bake for him. We’ve built up a few favourites that I know he will always eat, even if he’s have an off day food-wise. They tend to be small items that can be used out of the freezer and are great for going out, or if we are not eating with him, or if we’re having something he doesn’t like. 


I mentioned my home-made rusks earlier in the week and this prompted Young Mummy from Young & Younger to ask for the recipe. It occurred to me that there may be others who would appreciate some ideas of good finger foods for their babies and toddlers. So in a short series I would like to present Finger Food Fridays! 


These ideas are by no means exclusively for babies that have followed the baby-led style of weaning, they are great for everyone (and that includes parents!)


Rusks


from Finger Food by Jennie Maizels

225g plain flour

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp cream of tartar

50g unsalted butter

25g caster sugar (optional – I put about half the amount of sugar.)

50g yoghurt

65ml milk

1/2 egg beaten

Preheat oven to 180 degrees/Gas mark 4

Cream together the butter and sugar if using. 

Gradually sift in flour/bicarb/cream of tartar

Using the hands or an electric mixer work the mixture until it resembles breadcrumbs. 

Combine the yoghurt, milk and egg and then add to the flour mixture, stirring until a dough is formed. Knead the dough a little with your hands. 

either – take a walnut sized piece of dough and roll into a finger shape (which is what the recipe suggests and possibly the best option for younger babies)

or – Roll out mixture and use a small round cutter to cut out into small scone type things (which is what I do and then I split them in two for MM – this is probably just for my own aesthetic purposes but I like to think he prefers them and this is a nice way to do them for older babies and toddlers.)

Place them on a greased baking tray (should make about 20) and bake for 15-20 mins. You can then either take them out at this point, in which case they are soft in the middle,like scones or reduce the temp on the oven to 120 degrees/Gas mark 1/2 and leave them for another 15/20 mins to dry out. 

Store in an airtight container for up to a week. I usually freeze half and then to defrost bung in the oven in foil for about 10/15 mins – 160 degrees/Gas mark 3.