With the Food Standards Agency issuing updated guidance recently about the safe handling of flour, those of us who enjoy using uncooked flour to make our own playdough for children to handle have been sent into a bit of a spin about how best to make playdough now.
To cut a long story short, it’s been highlighted that flour products can contain harmful bacteria such as salmonella or e.coli that can cause food poisoning. Considering that our little people have a tendency to put everything in their mouths, using uncooked flour in playdough can be a little risky.
Whilst it is completely up to individuals and Early Years settings about how they manage the risks associated with using uncooked flour, I thought I would share the different recipes I’ve used over the years to make cooked playdough. As long as the flour is heated to 70° for a minimum of two minutes, any food poisoning bacteria present should be eliminated, making the dough safe for those little hands (and mouths) to handle!
Here are my tried and tested playdough recipes…
Ingredients
Whichever method you opt for, the ingredients remain the same:
- 250g of plain flour
- 125g cup of salt
- 2 teaspoons of cream of tartar
- 250ml of cold water
- Liquid food colouring (as much as needed to achieve the desired colour)
- 1 tablespoon of oil (I use vegetable but any cooking oil is fine)
1. On the hob
- Combine the flour, salt & cream of tartar together in a bowl and set it to one side for the moment.
- Mix together the water & food colouring in a saucepan, then stir in the oil.
- Tip the dry ingredients into the saucepan and cook over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly until the mixture combines into a thick dough.
- Tip the dough out onto a clean, dry surface and leave to cool for a short time. When cool enough to touch, knead the dough until it is soft and smooth.
2. In the microwave
- Combine all ingredients together in a microwave safe bowl and mix well until you have an even mixture.
- Cover and heat in the microwave for 2 minutes, then take out and stir the mixture which will have thickened around the outsides of the bowl. Pull the outside mixture into the middle, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl.
- Return to the microwave for another minute then repeat the stirring process before popping back into the microwave for a final minute.
- By now you should have a dough, with no wet mixture remaining in the bowl. If there are any wet bits still, mix again and return to the microwave for another minute.
- Once the dough is cool enough, knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until soft and smooth.
3. Baking Flour before Making Playdough
If you prefer to make your playdough with your children, you can opt to bake the flour beforehand to make it safe before using it with the children.
- Pre-heat the oven to 180° and spread the flour evenly across a baking tray.
- When the oven is ready, cook the flour for 5 minutes.
- Mix the baked flour, salt and cream of tartar in a bowl, then add in the water, food colouring and oil.
- Stir well until all ingredients are combined, then tip out the mixture onto a clean, dry surface.
- Knead well until dough is soft and smooth.