# Play Dough - ingredient sub?



## akhomesteader (Jan 5, 2006)

I have a great recipe for Play Dough, but I'm out of Cream of Tartar. Any suggestions for a way to substitute that (or a different recipe)? We live in the bush and there won't be any visitors flying out this way for several weeks. I'm sure someone would be happy to bring some to us, but I'd like to make play dough before then.

Here's my recipe:

1 cup plain flour
1/2 cup salt
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 cup water
food coloring - start with about 10 to 15 drops
1 Tbsp. oil

Cook, stirring constantly over medium heat until it thickens, stiffens, and is no longer sticky to touch. Knead the dough in your hands a few times to smooth. 

So, do any of you have another recipe for this (or some kind of soft clay that kids can have fun with), or a sub for cream of tartar?

Thanks,

Jenny
Frontier Freedom Online Magazine


----------



## smwon (Aug 16, 2006)

I donât remember what the cream of tarter does for the doughâ¦ I have used recipes that called for it and those that didnât. I wish I had them for you now, but alas I donât. I think I would try a small batch without it and see what happens.


----------



## sewtlm (Mar 22, 2006)

I thought the Cream of Tartar was to limit the idea of eating by the kids but if I recall it is to limit spoilage from mold.

Here's My recipe

4 Cups Flour
2 Cups Salt
1 tsp Alum
1 1/2 Cups water
food coloring

mix together. Let set in a sealed container overnight and have fun.

Bake at 250 degrees for an hour turning over and baking for 1 hour more
Cool and seal with shellac


----------



## Meg Z (Jun 8, 2004)

Here's some recipes...

Easy no cooking required play dough

2 cups plain flour 
1/2 cup vegetable oil 
Food colouring in your choice of colour 
Water (as much as needed) 
Combine oil and flour and mix well. Add water and food colouring. Continue to add water until you get a dough consistency. Store in an air tight container.

Baking Clay

2 cups plain flour 
1 cup salt 
1 cup hot water 
Mix flour and salt, then slowly stir in the hot water. Knead the dough on a flat surface for around 10 minutes. Once your child has finished making his/her masterpiece, bake in an oven at 150 degrees celsius for around an hour. When its cool, it can be painted.

Fingerpaint

1 cup cornflour 
3 cups boiling water 
3 tablespoons pure soap flakes 
food colouring in your choice 
Mix cornflour with a little cold water to make a paste. Place the paste into a saucepan and add the boiling water, then add the soapflakes and stir over low heat until thick and well mixed together. If the mixture is too runny, add some more cornflour (which has been added to a little water). Divide mixture between 4 bowls and add a different food colouring to each bowl. Allow to cool. This paint can be used directly on a piece of paper with fingers or brush, and can also be played with on a table top (they can even press a piece of paper on top of their artwork so they can 'copy' it and keep it).

Goo

1 cup pure soap flakes 
3 cups hot water 
Mix soap flakes and hot water together in a bowl, stirring until the flakes dissolve. Leave the mixture to cool and set overnight. Beat in some food colouring with an egg beater (kids love doing this) . Put this mixture into a baby bath where your child can use his/her hands and feet. Apart from painting with it, your child can squish it, pour or whip it with an egg beater!

Shaving cream makes fun finger paint too!


----------



## akhomesteader (Jan 5, 2006)

Thank you all for the replies! The fingerpaint was the next project on my list. I'd heard that you can add food coloring to vasoline or hand lotion, but although it would be fun, it wouldn't dry. I"ll try your recipe, Meg Z. I'll hang onto the others, too. 

On the cream of tartar, if it's to prevent mold, then maybe it would work just as well to add something else as a preservative, such as grapefruit seed extract or vitamin E. Those are used in some natural salves, creams, etc, so maybe it would work well here. 

Thanks again,

Jenny
Frontier Freedom Online Magazine


----------



## Chixarecute (Nov 19, 2004)

The playdoh will probably dry out before it can go to mold in the winter!

At work we make quite a bit of playdoh & if we are out of cream of tarter, we just omit it...it lasts several weeks...


----------



## akhomesteader (Jan 5, 2006)

I found some cream of tartar. It was in a box packed away upstairs that had a bunch of kitchen stuff I never use. So, the next little school fun thing is making play dough. Then we're off to fingerpainting. My husband says I'm a glutton for punishment.  

Jenny
Frontier Freedom Online Magazine


----------

