microwave your salt dough! dont blame me if you get addicted...LOL

**Blackhorse** · 12-11-2009, 09:59 PM

ok I am soo chuffed to bits right now..

I love salt dough and I hate drying the stuff.. it takes too long for my liking..
well I found out you can do it in the microwave!!!

there is a drawback that it will buldge up...but I found a way to avoid it..(for flat shapes like things cut out with cookie cutters anyways..)

make your salt dough...roll out...cut ouf any shapes you like with cookie cutters or whatever else takes your fancy

then put them on a plate suiteable for the microwave...then place another plate on top of the salt dough shapes..this will weigh them down and keep them nice and flat

turn on microwave on full power for 1 minute. (it smells of pop corn at that stage I find)..then remove the plate from the top as it traps moisture...put back into the microwave for another 30 seconds or so to finish drying...

and hey presto...ready dried salt dough shapes to colour in and varnish...

have already done a couple of very nice christmas trees...well the first one has a belly like santa clause..it was at this point I decided to use a 2nd plate to make a sandwich..

microwave times will vary so be careful not to burn your salt dough..

....going away to think of a way to dry other larger shaped saltdough objects like candle holders quickly without deforming them....

EDIT: Keep the plate on top of the salt dough for the whole drying time...it can still buldge sometimes even if already 'baked' for a minute or two..works very well though

Pipsqueak · 12-11-2009, 10:01 PM

Excellent tip - thank you for sharing

**ORKSIE** · 12-11-2009, 10:03 PM

Thank you

**Tam's Tribe** · 12-11-2009, 10:34 PM

sounds fabulous . . . now i just need to learn how to make the dough (still a sore point)

**jellytot** · 12-11-2009, 10:50 PM

Originally Posted by Blackhorse

ok I am soo chuffed to bits right now..

I love salt dough and I hate drying the stuff.. it takes too long for my liking..
well I found out you can do it in the microwave!!!

there is a drawback that it will buldge up...but I found a way to avoid it..(for flat shapes like things cut out with cookie cutters anyways..)

make your salt dough...roll out...cut ouf any shapes you like with cookie cutters or whatever else takes your fancy

then put them on a plate suiteable for the microwave...then place another plate on top of the salt dough shapes..this will weigh them down and keep them nice and flat

turn on microwave on full power for 1 minute. (it smells of pop corn at that stage I find)..then remove the plate from the top as it traps moisture...put back into the microwave for another 30 seconds or so to finish drying...

and hey presto...ready dried salt dough shapes to colour in and varnish...

have already done a couple of very nice christmas trees...well the first one has a belly like santa clause..it was at this point I decided to use a 2nd plate to make a sandwich..

microwave times will vary so be careful not to burn your salt dough..

....going away to think of a way to dry other larger shaped saltdough objects like candle holders quickly without deforming them....

cook it in the oven on low heat

**sharons** · 12-11-2009, 11:56 PM

Thanks for sharing

**daisyboo1980** · 13-11-2009, 07:34 AM

can i ask how do u make salt dough would love to try it

**miffy** · 13-11-2009, 07:38 AM

Thanks for the tip - mine always seems to take ages to dry out in the oven

Miffy xx

**miffy** · 13-11-2009, 07:40 AM

Originally Posted by daisyboo1980

can i ask how do u make salt dough would love to try it

Nicole's recipe is on this thread

http://childmindinghelp.co.uk/forum/...ght=salt+dough

Miffy xx

**Blackhorse** · 13-11-2009, 07:58 AM

Originally Posted by jellytot

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cook it in the oven on low heat

yes I know..but that is what I dont like abou it...it always take soo long and it doesnt seem very economical to have the oven on for soo long....

that is why i was experimenting with the microwave!

**suez** · 13-11-2009, 08:32 AM

i not tried it yet but i found this out from the daily mirror lol
they had a big cut out on decorations to make yourself the salt dough looks so easy will be trying it out very soon x

**Pudding Girl** · 13-11-2009, 10:26 AM

oooh brillinat, I've always avoided it because of the time it takes (not to mention the energy!!) it'll be very useful for once a week mindees doing projects as otherwise one simple thing can take 3 weeks to finally be ready!!

**Alibali** · 13-11-2009, 02:38 PM

Oh need to try this, thanks.

**hello kitty** · 13-11-2009, 07:26 PM

That sounds worth a try thanks.

**Blackhorse** · 13-11-2009, 07:34 PM

done this today...

tip: keep the plate on top for the whole cooking time..it might take 30 secs more but will work and will guarantee a flat result...here are the ones we did today..not painted yet but you get the idea:

**Tinglesnark** · 13-11-2009, 07:38 PM

wow! well impressed! thanks!

**Gizmo** · 13-11-2009, 07:44 PM

they look great going to try them next week

**Blackhorse** · 13-11-2009, 10:47 PM

I couldnt help it so I painted them already...LOL

dont ask me why I made a fish too...but dd likes them...

I usually make a batch of these before the mindees come..and then use them as inspiration..template kind of thing...
they do their own designs as well..very different from mine but it seems to help them when they see what their finished product might look like..

and I also enjoy my arts and crafts...sometimes even more than the mindees I think...

**dobby** · 13-11-2009, 11:36 PM

top tip if you want to make hanging decorations with these - use the end of a straw to make the hole for your string before baking. it is the perfect sizze and much easier than any other method. I made 100s of these last year for the school christmas fair craft stall so i should know

**Blackhorse** · 14-11-2009, 08:01 AM

Originally Posted by dobby

top tip if you want to make hanging decorations with these - use the end of a straw to make the hole for your string before baking. it is the perfect sizze and much easier than any other method. I made 100s of these last year for the school christmas fair craft stall so i should know

great idea to use a straw!! will keep that in mind as we are planning to make some hanging decorations as well.

Thanks!