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Craft: Mini Bread Monsters

Craft: Mini Bread Monsters

Total Time Needed: 2-3 Hours

Turn the kitchen into an edible monster laboratory where kids can create their own crusty creatures.

Materials

  • Store-bought bread dough
  • Toothpicks
  • Concentrated food-coloring paste
  • Scissors
  • Garlic press
  • Raisins
  • 1 egg white, optional
  • 1 tbsp. water, optional

Instructions

  • To begin, heat the oven to 400ยบ so it will be ready when your monster-makers are finished sculpting.
  • Divide the dough evenly among the kids, reserving a chunk for colored dough. Mixing in the color is probably best left to an adult, since the process can get messy in the wrong hands. Here?s how to do it: Divide the designated chunk into smaller balls, dip a toothpick in the coloring paste and dab one of the dough balls, then knead until the desired color is achieved.
  • To create their monsters, kids can try a variety of techniques, such as rolling balls and snakes of dough, cutting out shapes, using scissors to snip a furry texture, or using a garlic press to create hair. Raisins also make great eyes, spots, collars, or buttons.
  • Carefully place the finished monsters on a greased cookie sheet. Cover them with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and let them rise an additional 10 to 15 minutes before baking. If you want a shiny finish, whisk together 1 egg white and 1 tablespoon of water and brush on just before baking.
  • Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Then hand each monster-maker a glass of milk with his creation and watch the freshly baked treats disappear.

Tips:

Having a couple of loaves? worth of bread dough in the freezer comes in handy for spur-of-the-moment affairs.

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