Another rainy day and what to do with the elflings? After a wet splashy walk through some muddy woods, what better way to entertain than making something easy and chocolatey. Here is a recipe for my Rainy Day Cakes which are a cross between rocky road and rice crispy cakes. These are gooey and quite rich but are easy to make and very variable - even making a good adult after dinner nibble with suitably adult ingredient substitutions. The word "recipe" is perhaps stretching the point a little as these are little more than a group of ingredients mixed together and can be varied according to what is on hand. Ideal then with little ones as they can get involved in choosing ingredients, mixing, stirring, chopping, breaking and of course tasting...

50g butter 5 tbsp golden syrup 1 tbsp dark brown sugar 50g chocolate (broken up into pieces) 2 cups rice crispies 6 digestive biscuits (broken up) hand full sultanas hand full marshmallows hand full glace cherries halved hand full white chocolate drops

Method: Put the butter, golden syrup and sugar in a pan and gently heat to melt the butter. Add the chocolate and stir until melted. Place all the other ingredients into a bowl and mix together with the chocolate mix. Dollop into cupcake case or muffin cases, whatever is to hand. Decorate with more of the ingredients you used according to taste. Cool in the fridge for 30 minutes (or eat straight away with a spoon).

Other suggestions: Use whatever chocolate is to hand - milk, dark even flavoured chocolate like caramel or orange. Ditto with the biscuits - shortbread or amaretti are very good instead of digestives Fruit and treats can be varied according to taste and availability - try chopped apricots and smarties or mini eggs for example. A good adult alternative for after dinner nibbles would be to use crushed biscotti biscuits, chopped almonds, figs and ginger with dark chocolate.