Afrocats' Youth of the World session buzzed with excitement as our aspiring chefs gathered to get their bake on.
A collaborative effort between partner Cook Stars and Afrocats, and supported by BBC Children in Need, the session was designed to teach everyone the art and skill of baking blueberry muffins and French toast.
The workshop was led by the talented Sarah from Cook Stars, who has a passion for imparting vital cookery skills to young people, and began with our eager bakers listened with a keen ear while she emphasised the importance of cooking as a fun and rewarding life skill.
The first recipe on the agenda was blueberry muffins, and Sarah helped our participants through each step, from mixing the batter to carefully folding in the fresh blueberries.
Everyone took turns measuring ingredients, cracking eggs, and stirring the mixture, and as the muffins baked, the room filled with the mouth-watering aroma of freshly baked goods, just like a real bakery – the joy on the young people's faces was unmistakable as they watched their muffins rise and turn golden brown in the oven.
Next, up, some delectable French toast as Sarah demonstrated how to whisk eggs with milk, cinnamon, and a touch of vanilla to create a rich and flavourful custard – oui oui!
As you can see, no soggy bottoms here:
Our young people dipped slices of bread into the mixture, then cooked them to perfection on a hot stove, the sizzle of the bread and the sweet smell of cinnamon filling the air, and everyone was beyond excited to taste their creations.
See what they had to say:
"The blueberry muffins are tasty! I never thought I could make something like that," said one participant with a smile.
"I loved whisking the egg to make French toast. French toast is my new favourite breakfast," added another.
Sounds like a Paul Hollywood handshake could well be in our young bakers’ futures!
Our hands-on culinary sessions are clearly proving popular, and luckily there are plans to host even more, with each designed to teach isolated and marginalised young people exciting and diverse new recipes and cooking techniques, while also fostering a sense of independence, community, and teamwork.
Thanks to Sarah at Cook Stars and the wonderful team at Afrocats, our young chefs not only learned how to make dishes which might be new to them, but also discovered the joy of the baking process – nurturing a positive impact on their relationship with making their own food along the way.
Stay tuned for more exciting events and workshops from our inspirational Cookstars and Afrocats collab as they continue to inspire and empower the next generation of chefs.
Now, where’s that Star Baker apron?
Get to know more about our partner Cook Stars by visiting their website.
And find out more about what Afrocats can do for people facing social exclusion here.
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