Here are two great recipes for children to learn and have fun with over the midterm break. It takes me back to the days when my mother, Vera, started me off with flapjacks, apple tarts and shortbread. Our palates have changed a lot. I don’t remember blueberries back then.

The yoghurt lightens these muffins a little. Medjool dates are big and juicy and the fresh berries keep the muffins moist. You could also use blackberries or raspberries. The porridge gives them a nice texture and you won’t do better than Flahavan’s or Kilbeggan.

The cookies get a nice texture from the almonds and they are fun to make. You can use different jams to vary the taste. Tom and Laura Sinnott of Wexford Preserves in New Ross make a great range and you can find them in the Simply Better jams at Dunnes Stores. Wexford Preserves is one of those hard-working, passionate family businesses that’s going from strength to strength.

Happy cooking.

Neven’s Irish Food Trails is on RTÉ One on Wednesdays at 7:30pm.

Almond and raspberry thumbprint cookies

Makes 12

225g (8oz) butter, softened

125g (4 1/2oz) caster sugar

175g (6oz) plain flour

50g (2oz) ground almonds

4 tbsp seedless raspberry jam

Icing sugar, to finish (optional)

1. Line two baking sheets with baking parchment. Put the butter and sugar together in a bowl and beat really well until it becomes lighter and fluffier. I like to use my freestanding electric mixer but a hand-held electric whisk also works, as does a wooden spoon with a bit of elbow grease.

2. Add the flour to the butter and sugar mixture with the ground almonds and gently mix together until everything is combined – the dough should be quite stiff. Form the dough into a ball and wrap it in clingfilm, then squish the ball down a little and place it in the fridge for a good hour to firm up.

3. Preheat the oven to 180oC, (fan 160oC/350oF/gas mark four) and remove the dough from the fridge. Pull off 50g (2oz) pieces of the dough and roll into a ball, which is about 5cm (2in) across, and then place on one of the prepared baking sheets. Using your thumb, press the centre of the ball so you almost touch the tray. Then repeat with the rest of the dough, which will give you 12 cookies, allowing them plenty of room to expand. If the dough is feeling a little soft, place it in to the fridge for 20 minutes to firm up (or 10 minutes in the freezer works too).

4. Take the chilled cookies from the fridge or freezer and fill each thumbprint with a teaspoon of the jam. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the cookies are firm but they should not have too much colour on them. Then remove them from the oven and leave them to cool down a little before dusting with the icing sugar to serve.

Blueberry, date and oat muffins

Makes 12

100g (4oz) butter

240g (8oz plus 1 tbsp) self-raising flour

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

150g (5oz) soft light brown sugar

175g (6oz) pitted dates, finely chopped

1 medium egg

200g (7oz) Greek-strained yoghurt

100ml (3 1/2floz) buttermilk (or use milk soured with the juice of half a lemon)

75g (3oz) blueberries

50g (2oz) porridge oats

1. Preheat the oven to 180oC, (fan 160oC/350oF/gas mark four) and line a muffin tin with 12 paper cases. Melt the butter in a small pan or in the microwave, then leave to cool.

2. Put the flour, bicarbonate of soda, sugar and dates into a large bowl and stir to combine. Then add the melted butter with the egg, yoghurt and buttermilk or soured milk and mix until it all just comes together, using as few stirs as possible as this will produce much lighter, fluffier muffins. Then fold in the blueberries until just combined.

3. Using a large spoon or ice cream scoop, divide the mixture between the paper cases, using a spatula to ensure you get every last bit out of the bowl. Sprinkle the oats on top and bake for 20-25 minutes until the muffins are cooked through. To test to see if they are cooked, put a skewer into the centre of a muffin and it should come out clean. Once baked, remove from the oven and leave to cool a little in the tin. Serve warm or cold. CL