Home baked/cooked xmas gifts!

cdsmiler

Here's the truffles recipe!

http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/type-of-dish/desserts/quickly-does-it/home-made-chocolate-truffles.html

We did it without the yogurt, and used quantro instead of rum or brandy - but you could use any alcohol you wanted really - or none?

We coated ours in chocolate - messy, but the shelf life is a little longer. Absolutely must be eaten within a week. Less if you don't completely coat with melted chocoalte.

For the record, we also tried making the truffle mix itself with milk and white chocolate, but they didn't set enough to work with - made lovely naughty mousse types things though!! lol I enjoyed them anyway...

dixie_dean_2

Rowan berry jelly I would highly recommend. The berries can be gathered almost everywhere at the moment - it's been a very good year - for free.

Queen.Bess

fedupandskint wrote: »

Have made some Retro Sweetie jars using £1 kilner style jar from Mr A and filled with haribos and swizzles. Gave one as part of a birthday present and it went down a storm! Have made a couple more with the reduced price halloween sweets on sale.

I love this idea! I have seen 1 litre kilner jars for £1 in Asda and I hope the sweets won't cost too much - are there any warehouses or cheap supermarket sweets people can recommend?

Thank you fedup, that has potentially knocked off about 5 people from my Xmas list!!

fedupandskint

Queen.Bess wrote: »

I love this idea! I have seen 1 litre kilner jars for £1 in Asda and I hope the sweets won't cost too much - are there any warehouses or cheap supermarket sweets people can recommend?

Thank you fedup, that has potentially knocked off about 5 people from my Xmas list!!

I used £1 bags from Poundland etc and atm Sainsbugs has bags of cadburys chocolate eclairs for 64p (about 2 to fill one of those jars)

Otherwise I used £1 bags of swizzles, lollies, parma violets love hearts etc and it took less than I thought to fill the jar.

Total cost was £3 per jar (£1 jar and £2 sweets) :j

There may be cheaper ways of buying the sweets however a lot are on offer currently due to the time of year

rufusdog52

Any of you lovely chutney makers .. I am making some apple chutney as I had some apples given me at the weekend and thought I would make some for my bro's food hamper. Thing is do you have to put something over the top before you put the lid on the jar like when you make jam? I have never made chutney before but my Mum used to make lots of jams and she used to pt grease prrof paper over the top before she put the lids on.

Also, I am using the recipe on the bbc site http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/spicedapplechutney_7720.shtml and it says simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hrs, well I had it on for an hour simmering on the back gas but think it was too low so have now moved it onto the front ring and its simmering nicely but does still smell very vinegary. I have tasted it and it tastes vinegary too. I have put in all the ingredients it said. Will the taste change when its been cooked enough? I suppose I just keep it going until it thickens up.

rufusdog52

I have chucked the chutney in the bin. Dont know what was wrong with it but it tasted absolutely awful. Had had it on for nearly 4 hours stirring and it still wasnt as thick as what it said in the recipe but wasnt much left in the saucepan. I only tasted a lick off a spoon a couple of times but the taste is making me feel sick. Will have to think of something else unless anyone has any tried and trusted recipes that taste nice they could let me have.

Now got to try to get rid of the smell lol, house stinks.

bunty109

I've madde Nigella's chilli jam: it's great with cold meat over Christmas. I've put it into jars and bought a set form Lakeland to put brown paper covers over the lids - looks really good!

My son also wants to maker Nigella's Christmas pudding sweets for his teachers so we'll try those as well!

Rufusdog: soory about your chutney. I did make the Nigella Christmas one last year and that was nice and easy to fdo (I am a Nigella fiend!!)

jellybaby_5

i usually make a white chocolate baked cheesecake and rocky road (from Nigella!)

just wondered whether anyone could help! i made some of nigellas peanut brittle tonight as a trial for christmas but it was more crumble than snap, brittle! too chewy and sugary! any ideas on how i can make it more crunchy?

thanks!

Rummer

Sorry to hear about the chutney! Never made it before myself Delia and Nigella are always good for recipes though, you could try their sites.

soba

bluestarrz wrote: »

Wan't to try some biscotti for ex-oh's mum and dad's After dinner hamper

I can recommend this recipe from Good Food. I made these biscotti last year for presents. Just put a few in a kilner jar to keep them fresh, added a label and Bob's your uncle (well my uncle anyway!!)

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/8022/fruity-christmas-biscotti