Salt Rocks...

This is one of my favorite recipes for a quick and easy decorative salt dough. You can make just about any decoration out of this easy-to-make dough.

What you'll need:
1 cup of salt
1 cup of flour
1 cup of water
A bowl to mix in
A microwave safe plate or cookie tray
A microwave or conventional oven

Pour the salt and flour into the bowl you plan on using to mix the ingredients. Gradually add the water (start with 1/2 a cup) and knead the dough. You might have quite a bit of water left over because the amount you mix into the dough depends on the consistancy you want it to be. The dough should be easily pliable but not sticky.

Tip: Don't have regular table salt? Using larger grained kosher salt is fine. Just dissolve the salt in water before you mix the flour in or if you want your dough a little less smooth, mix in the same fashion as you would with regular salt.

Now you're ready to shape your dough. You can either roll out your dough and use cookie cutters to cut out shapes or you can hand shape the dough.

Microwave cooking: Set your decoration on a microwave safe plate. Microwave the dough at 15 second intervals until the dough feels dry and hard on the outside (this usually takes about 45 seconds, but is prone to cracking). If you have a microwave with a tray that does not rotate, microwave at 10 second intervals and rotate the decoration. If you choose to microwave your dough make sure to check on your decoration and add water to any cracked surfaces.

To bake your dough set your oven to 200 degrees farenheit. Adjust baking time according to the size of your decoration. This method is better for larger pieces.

You may also choose to airdry your dough. If you choose this option it is better to sundry it so that the water will evaporate before the flour starts molding.

Properly dried decorations can last quite a while. The salt dries the flour out enough so that it won't be as prone to molding.

Have fun!