A celebration of the Queen’s life for you and your child

As the world comes to a pause on Monday for the funeral of our long-reigning Queen, your little ones probably won’t get what all the fuss is about. Instead, they might be delighted at having a day at home with you rather than going to nursery!

Sharing food is a social occasion as well as a great time for explaining to children things that are going on in the world. When they’re older, they may not remember the funeral being on TV, but might have fond memories of a special day at home with you when you had a lunch fit for a queen (or king).

You could just share a few of your child’s favourite foods or try these menu ideas:

Crown savouries – make some sandwiches and cut them into different shapes using cookie cutters. The traditional round serrated cutter is pretty close to a crown shape.

Royal fruit salad – prepare a fruit salad and pretend with your child that each of the fruits is a precious gem from the royal jewels.

And to finish...

The Queen’s favourite chocolate biscuit cake

What you need:

• 225g Rich Tea biscuits
• 115g softened unsalted butter
• 115g granulated sugar
• 115g dark chocolate
• 1 egg
• 200g dark chocolate, for coating
• 1/2 teaspoon butter, for greasing the pan
  
  

What to do:

1. Butter and line a 15cm loose bottom cake tin.
2. Smash the biscuits into small pieces (not crumbs). Set aside.
3. Mix the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
4. Melt the 115g of chocolate and add it to the butter and cream mixture.
5. Crack the egg and mix into the chocolate, butter and cream.
6. Add the smashed biscuits and stir until well combined.
7. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin, pushing it right to the bottom as this will be the top once it’s turned over.
8. Place the cake in the fridge and allow enough time to set.
9. Just before the cake is ready, melt the remaining 200g of dark chocolate.
10. Remove the cake from the fridge and turn it out.
11. Pour the melted chocolate over the cake.