Kids, it’s time to party

JUST last week I overheard a conversation of two young mums who had children’s birthday parties looming. This year one of them had decided to cook a few goodies herself – she would make chocolate rice krispies and maybe a few fairy cakes, but wondered what else she could try herself.

I was thrilled to suggest a few simple party treats that can be whipped up easily, particularly if you have a stand alone food mixer.

Herein lies the problem, if you have to heat or whisk everything by hand, making cakes, biscuits and meringues can certainly seem like hard labour. If, however, you invest in a good stand alone food mixer, and maybe a food processor as well, then you’ll find you can whip up all sorts of confections in minutes. I am totally anti-gadget, but they are worth every penny they cost, these pieces of equipment.

There’s terrific value to be had at the moment, and although you may balk at the initial cost of several hundred euros, it will eliminate the hard labour and revolutionise your cooking. There are terrific bargains to be had at present. All sorts of things are possible – as my builder says – “if you have a bit of gear”. Suddenly it becomes fun rather than a dreaded chore.

Here are a few simple recipes.