Sumptuous Shortbread

Time

Food
Sensory

4 3 2 1 Early-Mid Stages

Benefits

Participants

Group Activity

What you need

125g butter
55g caster sugar
180g plain flour
Bowl
Wooden spoon
Rolling pin
Round biscuit cutter or knife
Baking tray
Sugar for sprinkling

Intro

Baking is a wonderful reminiscence activity, as the familiar scents and tastes can evoke happy memories from the past. Residents can roll up their sleeves and get stuck in, or simply watch. Either way, everyone will enjoy the result… delicious crumbly, buttery shortbread!

Enjoy baking this quick and easy recipe in the morning, then eating the fresh shortbread with afternoon tea. Or why not make it for celebrations like St Andrew’s Day or Burns Night?

This recipe makes about 20 biscuits, so double the recipe if you want 40. Nom, nom.

The Activity

Divide the ingredients in half so that 2 groups can bake at the same time
Preheat the oven to 190°C
Give each group a bowl and lay out the ingredients in the order you’ll use them
Get one person to beat the butter and sugar until smooth (or take it in turns)
Ask another person to add the flour slowly while someone else mixes
Mix together into a smooth paste
Roll the dough about 1cm thick
Cut out shapes using a cutter, or knife and cut into fingers about 8cm x 2cm
Place them on a baking tray, sprinkle with sugar and place in the fridge to cool for 20 minutes
Transfer to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown
While the shortbread is baking, reminisce/discuss everyone’s life at home when they were a child and their memories of baking
Let the biscuits cool before enjoying with a cuppa