Get baking for Children in Need this weekend

Pudsey-mania means that it is the end of November and finally time for us to get excited about festive fun.

Plenty of schools in the Furness area were getting involved for Children in Need and pupils at Our Lady of the Rosary School in Dalton were making their very own spotty iced biscuits.

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Sam Barker, 33, from Urswick, who teaches years five and six at Our Lady of The Rosary was involved in the organisation of the school's Children in Need celebrations.

Mr Barker, who enjoys baking himself and often makes his own flapjacks, said: "We were all icing biscuits with the children, which was great fun.

"The children love it because they can make a bit of mess and you can even introduce some maths with all the different measurements.

"We had a really amazing morning because we opened the whole school to the community for a big coffee morning and my classes went and helped out. We also researched the history of Children in Need yesterday so that the pupils understood where their donations were going."

If you fancy baking with the children this weekend, iced biscuits are a great way to go because they are so simple and can be made very colourful and exciting! If you really get in to the spirit of it you can go on to create Christmas cookies in December and create home made gifts for friends and family.

Iced Biscuits

Ingredients

100g butter, softened

50g caster sugar

170g plain flour

Ready made multi-coloured icing tubes (using a plain nozzle)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/160°C Fan/Gas Mark 4 and line two baking trays with non-stick baking paper.

2. Beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy, and work in the flour to make a stiff dough. You may find it easier to do this with your hands.

3. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently until smooth. Roll out to the thickness of a pound coin, and using well-floured heart shape cutters, stamp out a dozen hearts.

4. Carefully transfer to the baking sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

5. Leave to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes to firm up, before transferring to a wire cooling rack.

5. Once they are completely cool, decorate with ready made icing in the pattern of your choice. Whether you choose spots or Christmas patterns just have fun with it!

If you feel up to making your own icing too then pick your food colourings at the supermarket and follow these simple directions for a cheeky homemade frosting:

Combine: 1 cup of powdered sugar, 2-3 tablespoons milk and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Add your colouring and stir until the mixture is nice and smooth.

A brief history of Children in Need

-The BBC's first broadcast appeal for children was a five-minute radio programme on Christmas Day in 1927. It raised £1,143 18s 3d and the proceeds were shared with four prominent children's charities.

-The first televised appeal was the 1955 'Children's Hour Christmas Appeal', presented by Sooty and Harry Corbett.

-The Christmas Day Appeals continued on TV and radio right up until 1979, raising a total of £625,836.

-Sir Terry Wogan made his debut appearance in 1978.

-In 1980 the appeal was broadcast on BBC One in a new telethon format, hosted by Sir Terry with Sue Lawley and Esther Rantzen.

-Pudsey, Children in Need's signature teddy bear, made his television debut in 1985. He was designed by Joanna Ball, a BBC graphics designer, who named him after the West Yorkshire town where she was born.

-Pudsey became Children in Need's official logo the following year with his design amended to that of a yellow bear with a red spotted bandage.

-Last year Children in Need raised a record total of £37.1 million.

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