Making Coloured Salt Dough

Today, I tried a different recipe to the one I used to make. It is the ratio of 1:1 for the flour and salt. Previously I used a 4:1 ratio of flour and salt for the salt dough.

You need:

• 1 cup of strong plain flour (Had expired)
• 1 cup of salt
• Water
• Different type of food dye colour

We had some nearly expired food dyes we bought from a bargain shop at 37 pence each and mixed it with the water first. Be careful while using food dye as they can stain hands or clothing. Now, put all ingredients together and make it into a dough.

It turned out to be a very wet dough and I had to add more flour to make it more firm. I did not like this texture. In future, I will used my old recipe which is drier and easy to mould.

We used a rolling pin, toothpick, paintbrush, plastic knife for cutting and decorating.  My son decided to make a blue flat monster out of the dough. Ms C preferred to make a pink worm and I made a teddy bear, mouse, turtle and strawberry.

Place the dough onto a baking tray and set the oven to 100 degree (80 degree for fan assisted oven). I laid tin foil down to avoid it sticking onto the baking tray. It was suppose to bake for 3 hours to dry the dough and not to bake it.  I think that was too long and decided to turn it off after around 2 hours.

It turned out looking like a bun and my son wanted to eat them so badly. If you don’t add food colouring to it, baked plain dough can be painted according to your wish.

The colour had turned out quite pale and the bear was distorted. I think it is because the dough was too wet and so the oven fan affected it too much.

My preferred recipe:

• 4 cup of strong plain flour
• 1 cup of salt
• 1 cup of water
• Food dye (Optional)

Place the dough onto a baking tray and set the oven to 180 degree (160 degree for fan assisted oven). Bake for 45 minutes. Why not try to make something out of your expired food with your children?