UKC

I ended up buying a lovely mixing bowl for my 12 year old niece after some helpful suggestions on here. I was thinking about putting a few bits and pieces in it for baking but I'm not sure what to get. Any suggestions would be very welcome.

In reply to Sharp:

Pastry brush.

Pastry cutters (Either plain circles for mince pies / tarts or fun shapes for biscuits - gingerbread man / christmas tree shapes etc.)

Simple recipe baking book.

Fun baking apron +comedy oven glove.

In reply to Sharp:

Rolling pin

In reply to Sharp:

Recipe book that is age and taste appropriate and everything needed for a basic starter adventure.

As a parent there is nothing worse than being given a gift for your child and then having to go and get stuff so they can use it, or them not using it because you keep forgetting to buy that obscure piece/ingredient needed.

Have fun with it.

In reply to Sharp: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B001A46GS0

Icing bag and nozzles, nice size for a 12 year old.

Fun cutters.

Some sprinkles or toppings to put on cakes.

In reply to Sharp:

Get yourself down to TK Maxx or Lakeland and go mad with silicone bakeware?

In reply to Sharp: Cheers everyone, I think some fun shaped cutters and sprinkles are definitely in. A recipe book was the obvious choice but apparently she doesn't like them so that's off the cards. It's harder because my Sister is a bit of a foodie as well so there's probably not much she doesn't have access to. I've been keeping my eyes open for a nice apron but not really come across any in the shops so far.

In reply to Sharp: Egg timer?
http://www.funkymuffin.co.uk/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=0&P_ID=...

In reply to Sharp:

Kilo of flour kilo of sugar kilo of butter and some eggs.

In reply to hokkyokusei:

For a 12 year old girl, flour, sugar, butter and eggs come from the cupboard. I think I'd have been a bit disappointed if I'd got groceries when I was 12!

In reply to Sharp:

Measuring spoons and a silicone spoon/spatula for scraping would always be useful, though not very exciting.
Lakeland might be a good place to check for exotic (but not necessarily crucial) bits and pieces.

In reply to Sharp:

True, but they could be fancy ingredients, maybe? Posh chocolate, quality vanilla extract, saffron - all useful, and pricey enough to ordinarily think 'I'll just get the standard version', but cheap enough to get as gifts

In reply to nufkin:

Funnily enough I did think along the lines of a really good vanilla extract or something like that but thought they'd maybe be a bit old for her, some good chocolate might be a good idea though. If it was for an adult I'd be ordering some Tahitian vanilla pods and thinking, seeing as I'm already paying postage it would be a crime not to get a few for myself as well...

In reply to Sharp:

I dont know if her parents are the sort to have baking stuff in the house (though if they are, would this 12 year old be short of mixing bowls?). You probably do. But I do know 12 year olds, and if one gets a mixing bowl for xmas, they will be disappointed if they can't use it.

In reply to hokkyokusei:

Yeah, I think I mentioned before that my Sister is a bit of a foodie too. They've got mixing bowls but she just wanted a nicer one for herself because, like me, my Sister buys kitchen ware that's durable over pretty, so metal bowls, which aren't very flowery!

In reply to Sharp:
What about a nice cake tin to put the goodies she makes in? Cath Kidson perhaps.

In reply to Sharp:

Hey Ben. I'd suggest putting in the ingredients to make something simple like scones or biscuits, or both. Then the icing on the cake would be to make them with her. The making of the 'things' will be much more appreciated than the gift. The gift will always be around, but the memory will be there a lot longer, and recalled/recounted many times. Even if it doesn't turn out the way it should, or the fact that you end up doing the most work, it doesn't matter. Just make sure you find the time. I speak from experience. I've built wooden Dinosaurs, assembled Meccano, and baked cakes. Go get those ingredients. Enjoy it, but above all, make it fun.

You could put cookie dough dry ingredients in a kilner jar. Just empty, and liquid and roll out.

Let's face it, the weighing out and washing up are the two least exciting bits.

In reply to Sharp:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/009941712X/?tag=hydra0b-21&hvadid=9550951629...

not sure if its a bit young for a twelveyearold, and some of the recipes will need help (there's two volumes now - the first is very good, but I can't vouch for the second)

Y.

In reply to Sharp: For a friend who's children I babysit for, and has just had a new Kitchen put in, I have made a Gingerbread dry mix in a jar with 2 cutters, just add Butter Egg and Treacle! Scarlet Bakes do pre-mixed sets or goggle will give you a few ideas for your own.