Inedible Dough or Salt Dough Recipe

From A Continual Feast:
ookbook to Celebrate the Joys of Family and Faith Throughout the Christian Year by Evelyn Birge Vitz


Cookie Christmas ornaments are pretty, but as we all know, those that taste good disappear mysteriously from the tree. Try having your children make ornaments each year out of inedible dough, to save. You can also make sets of ornaments, such as a creche’ scene. Or try a Noah’s ark. These figures make nice presents for children to give as gifts to godparents, favorite relatives, and friends.

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 cup uniodized salt
about 1 cup water

[Ignatius Insight Note: you can also add a little spritz of dishwashing soap or a little oil which somehow helps with the dough’s consistency, particularly if you decide to make thicker than recommended figures.]

Combine ingredients in a bowl. Knead until the mixture is smooth and well blended.

To form shapes, you can roll out the dough to 1/8- or 1/4 inch thickness. Or you can mold figures by hand; do not make shapes thicker than about 1/4 inch. If you want to hang the ornament, make a little hole with a drinking straw or a toothpick at the top; or insert a wire loop or hairpin into the ornament.

You can add details–such as eyes, hair–to the surface of the ornament by using a toothpick or instruments in a manicure set. You can add appliques: roll out dough very thing and cut out the desired shapes with a sharp knife; "cement" the shape in place with water. Try making hair with a garlic press.

Place the ornaments on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 225 to 250 F for 2 hours or more, until completely dry and hard. When they are cool, smooth the ornaments with fine sandpaper or a fine emery board.

Paint front, sides, and back with poster or acrylic paints, or use marking pens. The metallic ones that are now available are great for adding highlights. Spray when dry with clear polyuerethane, or paint with clear shellac. If pieces break, they can be easily and repeatedly repairs with Elmer’s Glue-all.