Cauliflower cheese bites

Name: Cauliflower cheese bites
Total time: 45 min
Yield: About 12 finger-shaped bites
Ingredients: ½ medium cauliflower; 40 g (scant ½ cup) finely grated mild cheddar; 1 egg; 4 tbsp plain (all-purpose) wheat flour; 1 tbsp vegetable or olive oil

Soft baked fingers of mashed cauliflower with a little grated cheese, held together with egg and flour. Contains milk, egg and wheat: offer them once your baby has had each on its own.

From: 6 months
Time: 45 min
Makes: About 12 finger-shaped bites

Contains milkContains eggContains wheat

Ingredients

½ mediumcauliflowerabout 300 g (10 oz) of florets, fresh or frozen
40 g (scant ½ cup)finely grated mild cheddarpasteurized and full-fat; compare labels and choose a lower-salt one
1egg
4 tbspplain (all-purpose) wheat flour
1 tbspvegetable or olive oilfor the tray

Steps

1Wash your hands. Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F) and line a baking tray. Rinse the cauliflower under running water and cut it into florets.
2Steam the florets for about 10 to 12 minutes, until a knife slides through the stems with no resistance. Don't add salt. Let them cool for 10 minutes.
3Mash the cauliflower with a fork or potato masher until there are no firm pieces left. Tip it into a clean tea towel and squeeze out as much water as you can, so the bites hold together.
4Beat the egg, then mix in the cauliflower, cheese and flour to make a soft, thick mixture. Don't taste the raw mixture: raw flour and raw egg can carry germs. Wash your hands after handling them.
5Brush the tray with the oil. Shape the mixture into fingers about 6–8 cm long and 2 cm wide (2½–3 × ¾ in), and about 1 cm thick.
6Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, turning them gently halfway, until golden and set all the way through, with no wet mixture in the middle. If you use a food thermometer, the center should reach 160°F (71°C).
7Let them cool on the tray: they firm up as they cool. Break one open and squash it between your thumb and finger: it should be soft inside, with no firm cauliflower. Trim off any crisp edges, and check they're only just warm before serving.

How to serve it by age

6 months+

Once your baby has had dairy, egg and wheat each on their own without a reaction, offer one or two whole finger-shaped bites to hold and gnaw.

9 months+

Cut bites into pieces no bigger than about 1 cm (just under ½ inch) for pincer-grasp practice, or keep offering whole soft fingers to bite.

12 months+

Serve whole bites or bite-sized pieces about 1 cm (just under ½ inch) with soft-cooked vegetables, beans or fish, as part of the family meal.

If your baby reacts

This recipe contains milk, egg, wheat. Introduce one new allergen at a time, mixed into a food your baby already eats, before serving it in a dish with other new foods. Contact your pediatrician, GP or health visitor if you notice mild signs after eating, such as a few hives or a little vomiting. See signs of a reaction.

Call 911999your local emergency number (such as 112 in Europe or 000 in Australia) now if your baby has trouble breathing, wheezing, can't cough or cry, has lips, mouth, tongue or throat that suddenly swell, or becomes pale, bluish, floppy or unresponsive. Also call if hives come with repeated vomiting.

Leftovers and the rest of the family

Storing it

Cool leftover bites quickly and keep them in a covered container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, or freeze them for 2 to 3 months (freeze them in a single layer, then pack them together once frozen solid). Reheat from frozen or thawed, only once, until steaming hot, 165°F (74°C), then let them cool before serving. Throw away anything left in your baby's bowl. Don't leave bites at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if it's hotter than 90°F (32°C).

For the grown-ups

Shape your baby's bites first, then stir a pinch of salt, black pepper or paprika and a little extra cheese into the rest for the adults. They make a quick side with soup or a salad.