“Animal crackers and cocoa to drink,
That is the finest of suppers, I think;
When I am grown up and can have what I please
I think I shall always insist upon these.”
SPRINKLES GALORE
In the days of hot-wheels, dragon ball-z and monkey-bars, we ate dunkaroos, goldfish crackers, and animal crackers.
In actuality, animal-shaped biscuits have been around for a while - the earliest examples dating from the late 19th century. Over the years, several brands have produced any number of animals. From kangaroos to cats, mountain goats to rhinos, and donkeys to turtles, they have made a veritable Noah's ark of animals in a wide range of styles, colours, and packagings. The animal crackers that I remember, though, were pink and covered in sprinkles.
RECIPE
In a burst of nostalgia for pink sprinkled elephants, I created my own recipe for animal crackers, and while it is more of a biscuit, I am sure it will satisfy your own nostalgic impulses too.
CRACKERS
350g PLAIN FLOUR
150g SELF RAISING FLOUR
125g WHITE SUGAR
125g BUTTER, DICED
125g GOLDEN SYRUP
ICING
A BIT OF WATER
A LOT OF ICING SUGAR
A SPLASH OF LEMON
A DROP OF RED FOOD COLOURING
MANY SPRINKLES
- Sift the flours into a bowl, and add the sugar.
- Rub in the butter with your fingertips.
- Make a well, then add the egg and syrup. Then mix the dough into a ball.
- Separate the dough into two halves, and roll each half with a rolling pin into sheets 5mm thick.
- Cut out your animal shapes - either by hand with a butter knife, or with cookie cutters.
- Bake at 170 C/ 350 F on a baking sheet for approx. 15 minutes, or till golden brown.
- Cool completely.
- Mix the icing ingredients to make a stiff pink icing with a lemony flavour.
- Outline the crackers with the icing, before adding a little more water to the mix and using this to fill the middle areas. Have patience, this way the cookies will look much neater.
- Add sprinkles.
- Demolish your animal crackers, and wash it all down with a tall glass of milk.
