Whilst I may have grown out of my Pippi Long Stocking costume a long time ago, I still absolutely love World Book Day. Maybe that’s because of all the fond memories of going to pick out a book from Waterstones and paying for it with the free token that the teachers handed out after school, or maybe it’s just because I absolutely love to read.

More likely though, it’s due to how much I laugh seeing pictures on Instagram of my friend’s kids dressed up as mini Joe Wicks or Winnie the Pooh.

Here’s how I’m celebrating this year though, with some classic storytime treats and World Book Day recipes.

Peter Rabbit’s Carrot Cookies

Ingredients (Makes 12):

• 125g butter softened to room temperature
• 150g baking sugar like caster or light brown sugar or a mix of the two
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla – optional
• 150g plain flour (Don’t have flour? Try using the same amount of crushed Rice Krispies)
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp cinnamon – optional, or try a small pinch of ground cloves or nutmeg
• ¼ tsp salt
• 100g grated carrot

Step 1. Beat the butter and sugar until light, fluffy and smooth. Use an electric whisk if you have one, or use a wooden spoon and some elbow grease – getting that whipped, fluffy texture is worth the effort.

Step 2. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until a cohesive batter forms.

Step 3. Sift in the dry ingredients and stir until well combined.  Finally, add the grated carrot and everything’s mixed together.

Step 4. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and dollop golf ball sized cookies onto the sheet. Leave a good gap (around 3 inches) between each biscuit.

Step 5. Place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (overnight is best) until the cookies are chilled and firm.

Top Tip:  You can freeze your cookie batter! Place the cookies on the tray in the freezer overnight. Once they’re frozen solid, pop them in a Tupperware and stick them in the freezer until you need them. Then just bake from frozen (just add a few more minutes to the cooking time) whenever you fancy a sweet treat.

Step 6. Preheat the oven to gas mark 6/195ºC/175ºC Fan.  Place the cookies in the middle of the oven and bake for 12 minutes until they’re spread out and golden around the edges.  Remove and allow to cool on the tray for 10 minutes, before moving them to a cooling rack to cool.

 

Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Truffles

Ingredients (Makes 18)

• 120g vegan dark chocolate (I used Lindt Excellence 70% Cocoa Dark Chocolate)
• 100g coconut cream from a can of coconut milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8th tsp good quality flaky salt (ie maldon)
• 25ml Agave
• Cocoa for dusting

Step 1. Before you start cooking, place the tin of coconut milk in the freezer for 30 mins, or in the fridge overnight. This will separate the cream from the coconut water. Weigh out 100g of the thick white coconut cream, save the rest of the contents of the can (this is great for enriching currys or making smoothies creamier).

Step 2. Begin by placing a bowl over a saucepan containing about 2 inches of water. You want the bowl to rest over the water without touching it; this is called a bain marie. Bring the water to a low simmer.

Step 3. Roughly chop the dark chocolate, then place with the coconut cream in the bowl of the bain marie. Heat until almost completely melted, then remove the bowl from the pan and stir until the last few chunks become liquid.

Step 4. Add the vanilla extract, agave and salt, then leave, stirring occasionally, until it has firmed up enough to roll into balls, this can take around an hour .

Step 5. Dust a tray liberally with cocoa powder, then use two spoons to separate out small balls of truffle mixture, and place onto your cocoa-covered tray. Alternatively use a small cookie scoop (2.5cm diameter).

Step 6. This is the messy fun part. Once your mixture is portioned out, roll each one into a smooth ball (do this quickly so the heat from your hands doesn’t start melting the chocolate). Return each one to the cocoa tray and roll to coat in cocoa. This sets the mixture.

Give it a Gousto twist: Melt 80g of vegan dark chocolate in a bain marie, then quickly coat each truffle in chocolate. Sprinkle with toasted coconut whilst the chocolate is still melted and leave to set before putting in mini cupcake cases for serving.  

Goldilocks’ Porridge Done “Just Right”

Ingredients (Serves 1)

• 50g blueberries
• 3 tbsp maple syrup
• Zest of 1 lime
• Coconut flakes (to taste)
• 45g oats (Quaker Oats are our fave)
• 100ml milk
• 100ml water

Step 1. Preheat your oven to 180ºC / 160ºC fan

Step 2. Add 50g of blueberries to a small pot with 2 tbsp maple syrup. Cook over a low heat until softened and the blueberries start to release their juices, then remove from the heat.

Step 3. Zest a lime in a bowl, then add coconut flakes and another tablespoon of maple syrup. Give this a good mix up, then add to a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Put into the oven for 4-5 min or until starting to turn golden.

Tip: Be sure to watch those coconut flakes like a hawk or they may burn!

Step 4. To make your porridge, add 45g oats to a saucepan with 100ml milk and 100ml water. Cook over a low heat for 4-5 min or until cooked to your liked consistency (add more milk if needed)

Step 5. Serve the porridge topped with your homemade blueberry compote and lime-toasted coconut flakes.

Hansel and Gretel’s Milkshake

Ingredients (Serves 1)

• 60g ginger biscuits/gingerbread men
• 1 scoop vanilla ice cream
• 1 tbsp horlicks powder (optional)
• 250ml milk
• 25ml of Spiced Rum
• 75ml whipping cream
• Sweets, caramel and sprinkles to decorate (optional)

Step 1. In a medium-size bowl whip the cream until it forms semi firm peaks

Step 2. Add the ginger biscuits (saving 1 for garnish), ice cream, horlicks, rum and milk to a blender and blend until smooth.

Step 3. Decorate the inside of your glass with drizzles of caramel then pour in your gingerbread milkshake.  Top with a hefty dollop of whipped cream and decorate with reserved gingerbread men sweets and sprinkles.  Drink straight away.

Snow White’s Apple Crumble

Ingredients (Serves 8)

Flapjack 

• 110g butter
• 4tbsp honey
• 180g whole oats
• Extra butter and flour to line the tin

Fruit Filling

• 2 non Bramley apples
• 1 Bramley apple
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• ½ tsp cinnamon

Crumble Topping

• 60g butter
• 60g caster sugar
• 120g plain flour

Step 1: Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4/180C/160C Fan. Butter an 8 inch pie dish, lightly dust with flour.

Step 2: Melt the butter and honey in a pan and stir to combine. Add oats and mix until coated.

Step 3: Pour the oats into the prepared dish and flatten, pushing the mixture up the sides with a spatula to form a pie crust. Don’t worry – this will shrink in the oven, and you can reshape when it’s still warm (but not hot!)

Step 4: Bake in the oven for 18 minutes.

Now let’s make the apple filling! 

Step 5: While the base cooks, peel, core and roughly chop the apples. Cook in a saucepan with the brown sugar and 50ml water for 10 mins until soft.

Time to make the crumble topping:

Step 6: In a mixing bowl rub together the flour, butter and sugar between your thumb and finger pads until it forms a fine breadcrumb texture.

Step 7: Remove the flapjack from the oven. Let it cool slightly, and reshape the flapjack into a pie crust if needed.

Step 8: Turn the oven up to Gas Mark 6/200C/180C Fan. Pour off most of the apple liquid, keeping about 1 tbsp. Put that and the apples onto the flapjack and cover with the crumble topping.

Step 9: Bake for a further 25 minutes until golden brown on top.

Serve warm with custard or vanilla ice cream.