After I pick up Georgie from school, I like to surprise him with a small gift. Sometimes he gets a cookie or a muffin, other times a toy or a t-shirt. It could be anything! New or used, with sugar or not, he looks forward to that specific moment. On Monday, I gave him a bubble bottle. Always a winner with kids, received with claps and giggles by my little dude he couldn’t wait to get home and give it a go. Five bubbles later he’s dropped the bottle and is demanding a refill. As most of you probably know, plain water and plain washing up liquid will not work. And that’s why bubble bottles are almost never received with claps and giggles on my behalf.
However this time I was determined to find a solution so after ten minutes of internet research I was ready to make my own bubble mixture. Actually scratch that! I was ready to make it once I had picked up a bottle of glycerin, which is, apparently, the secret ingredient to making big, sturdy, long-lasting bubbles. You can find glycerin in the baking section of supermarkets or go to baking-supply store Pergamos (22-552552) which is what I did. Apart from glycerin I also added baking powder, corn flour and washing up liquid (make sure it is not an ‘ultra’ version).
I filled a big bowl with the mixture I made mainly because this stuff will last quite long if it’s in an air-tight container. I reckon we’ll be needing as much as possible with summer around the corner. Also I was secretly hoping we could make giant bubbles but we didn’t have a big enough wand and no matter how much I looked for a substitute I couldn’t find one. This funnel worked well and to my surprise I think we can go even bigger, so I am on the lookout for a bigger wand or I’ll have to make one.
Here’s the recipe I used:
12 cups of water (warm is best)
1 cup washing up liquid
1 cup corn flour
2 tbsp baking powder
2 tbsp glycerin
Mix everything together but avoiding making froth. The corn flour will stick to the bottom so stir slowly. Then leave for an hour or better yet, overnight! We used the mixture after one hour.
The first bubbles may pop quickly, disappointing you but fear not. The more you play with the mixture the silkier the bubbles and long-lasting too. Enjoy!
