Reading, Measuring and Baking Fun with “Polish Yeast Cake”

Basia baking a cake, 2014

Cooking or baking is a fun way to reinforce the math skills. When your child cooks or bakes he practices reading comprehension, adding and subtracting fractions, multiplication, division, and more. Most significantly, you both have fun spending time together and learning.

Yeast Cake

That’s What You Will Need:

Favorite Recipe (you can use the one below for a “Polish Yeast Cake”
Ingredients to bake
Paper
Pen

That’s What You Will Do:

Look over the ingredients with your child. Ask to identify the fractions within the recipe.
Ask to convert any whole numbers into fractions. Example, 1 cup of milk = 2/2 or 4/4. This puts all numbers in fraction form. Remember: All fractions must have common denominators in order to be added or subtracted. Be sure that you guide your child to convert all fractions with a common denominator before he attempts to do his math.
Ask to rewrite the recipe.
Ask to rewrite the recipe subtracting a given amount from each ingredient. Example, subtract 1/3 cup of flour or subtract 1/8 teaspoon of salt. You won’t use these measurements: they are only meant to give a pinch of practice in subtractions.
Use your favorite recipe! Start cooking! Let your child do the measuring to practice with the fractions.

Measuring accurately is very important cooking skill in the kitchen. Even though the recipes in cookbooks are quite tolerant the cook still has to follow basic rules of measuring.

When you bake measuring accurately is really critical to the success of the recipe.

Memorize!

2 cups in a pint, 2 pints in a quart, 4 quarts in a gallon

1 Tablespoon = 3 Teaspoons

1 Cup = 16 Tablespoons

½ Cup = 8 Tablespoons

¼ Cup = 4 Tablespoons

Using these rules and tips, you can be confident that any recipe you tackle will be a success.

“Polish Yeast Cake / Ciasto Drożdżowe” - Recipe

INGREDIENTS (Make 2 small loafs of cake.)

70g fresh yeast or 3 tbs active dry yeast
1 cup sugar
330 ml milk = 1.4 cup, a little bit less than 1 and a half cup
500g plain flour = 17oz = 2 cups
100g unsalted butter = 3.4oz
5 medium egg yolks
½ tsp sea salt
1 packet of vanilla sugar for a good smell- optional
150g raisins or other dried fruits - optional

TOOLS YOU NEED

Two mixing bowls (small and big)
Saucepan to melt butter
Whisk or mixer
Measuring cup, tablespoon and teaspoon
Two 11×22 cm (4.5 x 8.5 in) non-stick loaf tins (greased with butter or oil)
Wooden skewer

PROCEDURE TO PREPER A GOOD DOUGH AND CAKE

Rehydrate raisins if they are very dry, drain and leave aside. – Optional.

In a large mixing bowl combine yeast with a little bit of worm milk and sugar; sprinkle all with the flour, leave aside until it starts growing; approximately 10 minutes.

In the meantime melt butter. Don’t boil it! Leave aside to cool it down.

In a small mixing bowl combine the egg yolks with the rest of the sugar and whisk/mix until well combined.

Add the egg yolk mixture to the bowl with yeast, stir slowly in flour, butter, vanilla sugar, salt and the rest of the milk and stir for a while to make sure it is mixed well. Add raisins or cranberries if desired.

Finish mixing with your hands. If you feel like the dough is too lose add a little bit more of flour and mix it again.

Transfer the dough to greased tins. Once the tins are ready you can sprinkle the dough with some crumbs (100 g butter, 100 g sugar, 200 g flour mixed together) – Optional. Cover the tins with kitchen towel and leave in a warm, quiet place to grow for about 30 minutes.

Bake in the over preheated to 150°C (302°F) for about 35-55 minutes until golden brown. Check after 35 minutes; color first and if golden brown use skewer to poke a cake to make sure that is moist but not sticky inside. If not ready leave for few more minutes.